Today, UN Secretary-General António Guterres admitted while talking with civil society that limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible but will require a 45 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. As an NGO head (of the Global Science Academy, India) and in my personal capacities, have done extraordinarily on Ocean Science and explored the potential of Ocean in mitigating climate change. However, in my opinion, capacities and capabilities, especially Small Island Developing States (SIDS) & Least Developed Countries (LDCs), significantly be taken into considerations in broader spectrum. Capacity building and accelerated technology transfer, training and education, ocean literacy are amongst the top priorities need to be affixed firmly. Scientific exchange, data co-operation and sharing, cross-cultural dialogues, adoption of traditional as well as e-learning methods etc. would ensure quality partnerships, as requisite for sustainable development of the ocean.
Comprehensive ocean observing, data management, data pertaining to marine diversity, coastal and marine spatial planning, multi-hazard warning system including tsunami warning system and harmful algal blooms are some of the potential topics as already being covered to be expanded more. Such improvements in ocean literacy and education will certainly have gain societal support. It’s propitiatory that ‘ocean’ not only acknowledged by the UN in the Paris Agreement and SDG-14 agenda but also political will growing across the continents and new and transformative policies being developed at national as well as regional levels which further required to be followed by innovative financial strategies. Likewise, financially sustainable, trans-disciplinary approach is imperative and need of the hour for ocean where indigenous people, civil society and all those interested could effectively play their roles with the vigor of science and society, and moreover, with political will. These efforts will transform towards a healthy and resilient ocean whereby marine ecosystems be mapped and protected; farther impacts of climate change as well as other affecting factors be measured to proviso ocean ecosystem overhauls.
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When we guard our oceans and protect marine lives, we restore a great part of the environment
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@Kevin Thanks for the comment and for the concern as well!
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We have to keep an eye to our oceans
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@ance_star thanks
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this is worth doing
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@annett_michuki I agree
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@annett_michuki thanks!
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There is need, to act now more than ever, we must restore our ocean,
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@john_linus_tom_775 thanks
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True. Oceans as a solution to restoring climate change needs to be scaled up.
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@tabitha_kimani Thanks a lot!