UN Ocean Conference to begin in Lisbon

The UN Ocean Conference begins today in Lisbon. 

The conference will last through Thursday. The governments of Kenya and Portugal are co-hosting the conference, which aims to discuss and propose solutions to issues involving ocean governance, including acidification, marine pollution, the loss of biodiversity and unregulated fishing.  

The conference will also feature talks surrounding the blue economy, a concept that looks to promote sustainability in markets that rely heavily on oceanic resources. The organizing governments will be promoting blue economy efforts such as investment in sustainable fishing, offshore winds during the forum. 

Expect more localized and regional commitments to ocean governance as a product of this conference. As the countries most affected by dramatic changes to oceanic ecosystems, island and coastal nations will spearhead these efforts. Illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing in particular, will likely feature prominently – a number of countries, including Sri Lanka vs India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia, have conflicts over fishing rights. While there is widespread support for more sustainable fishing, forced labor and unsustainable fishing methods remain rampant and profitable, making it unlikely that global trends will adapt accordingly.