UNOC3 Event
In June, at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference, the Government of Papua New Guinea, WCS, and partners are organizing a high-level Blue Zone event focused on climate-resilient coral reefs.
This event will integrate the latest scientific findings with a high-level government commitment and will be supported by strategic funders and partners. This event will launch a call to action for countries to commit to protecting climate-resilient coral reefs.
Blue Zone, Room 1
UNOC3, Nice, France
Tuesday, June 10
15:45-17:00 p.m.
- Signing Ceremony: A Landmark Global Commitment to Coral Reef Protection
During the event at UNOC3, partner governments from the Global North and the Global South will sign a high-level commitment to protecting climate-resilient coral reefs as a key strategy for coral reef survival by ensuring their inclusion in national biodiversity, climate, and sustainability action plans. Each partner member state will have the opportunity to sign the commitment in front of the audience and media, as well as highlight the work they are already implementing to protect climate-resilient coral reefs. The event will also be a great opportunity to formalize commitments to reef protection, national monitoring capacity, and the 30x30 marine conservation goals.
- Science-Backed Solutions for Climate-Resilient Reefs
Leading experts will present the latest science on how prioritizing climate-resilient coral reefs can safeguard biodiversity, local economies, and human security in the face of accelerating climate change and put coral reefs on a trajectory for desirable futures.
- Catalyzing Action through Strategic Partnerships
The event will bring together key global conservation and finance partners, including Bloomberg Philanthropies, the International Coral Reef Initiative, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, the Global Environment Facility, and leading NGOs to accelerate funding, knowledge-sharing, and action towards 30x30 targets.
- A Visionary Look at the Future of Coral Reefs
The event will showcase the “Coral Reef Futures” project, featuring interdisciplinary research and commissioned artwork depicting three hopeful scenarios for coral reefs, inspiring urgent action that is being taken at UNOC3.
- A High-Impact Communications and Media Campaign
WCS and Bloomberg Philanthropies will drive global visibility through strategic media coverage, press briefings, and op-eds in top-tier media outlets such as Le Monde, The New York Times, BBC, and The Guardian. They will also work on the in-person campaign event to amplify the call for more governments to join this urgent movement for coral reef survival.
The commitment will be registered as a new Voluntary Ocean commitment on the United Nations Platform.
See the latest version of the draft commitment.
Read More
Partners involved to date
Governments
WCS and partners have currently identified strategic countries that can move the needle on global coral reef conservation if they commit to and implement, with appropriate financing, national plans and policies for coral reef conservation of climate-resilient coral reefs.
This is an initial list of countries. We are looking at adding more as we learn from new scientific findings, policy developments, and diplomatic relationships through our partners. Please see the contact details below to learn more.
APPROVED: Brazil, France, Fiji, Madagascar, Panama, Papua New Guinea (co-host), Tanzania.
Organizations
We welcome new organizations to support the commitment. Please see the contact details below to learn more.
APPROVED: Association Française de Développement (AFD), Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, CNRS, Coral Triangle Initiative, Coral Reef Rescue Initiative, Earth Commission/Future Earth/Global Commons Alliance, Fonds Français pour l’environnement mondial, Global Change Institute (GCI from Wits University, Global Environment Facility (GEF), Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), Ocean Breakthroughs (Ocean & Climate Platform), Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Trafigura Foundation, World Bank, World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Contact
To learn more, to join the event and support the commitment, and/or to request the latest version of the commitment, please reach out to:
Marie-Céline Piednoir
marieceline.piednoir@gmail.com
33 (6) 11 32 77 74
