United Nations Ocean Conference UNOC 2022 

The ocean covers 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, is the planet’s largest biosphere, and is home to up to 80 percent of all life in the world. It generates 50 percent of the oxygen we need, absorbs 25 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions and captures 90 percent of the additional heat generated from those emissions. It is not just ‘the lungs of the planet’ but also its largest carbon sink – a vital buffer against the impacts of climate change.

The science is clear – the ocean is facing unprecedented threats as a result of human activities. Its health and ability to sustain life will only get worse as the world population grows and human activities increase. If we want to address some of the most defining issues of our time such as climate change, food insecurity, diseases and pandemics, diminishing biodiversity, economic inequality and even conflicts and strife, we must act now to protect the state of our ocean.

UNOC 2022 was co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal and sought to propel much needed science-based innovative solutions aimed at starting a new chapter on global ocean action. 

The Aquatic Blue Food Coalition at UNOC 2022 

UNOC celebrated the official launch of the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition with the event title: “Future of Food is Blue: Coalition Acts to Support Responsible Development of Aquatic Foods and Thriving Communities”. The event brought together national leaders from government and non-governmental sectors to promote the full integration of sustainably harvested blue foods into our food system and to deliver progress on the Sustainable Development Goals while supporting small-scale actors and aquaculture sectors to meet food security and nutrition needs in a changing climate.

The event was led by the Government of Iceland in collaboration with other organizations: Government of Canada, Germany – Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Center (BMZ), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Ocean Solutions at Stanford, EAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Global Action Network Sustainable Food from the Oceans and Inland Waters for Food Security and Nutrition (GAN), WWF, Friends of Ocean Action (World Economic Forum (WEF), World Resources Institute (WRI)), RiseUp, Environmental Law Institute, the Pacific Community (SPC), Oceana, Worldfish, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Safe Seaweed Coalition, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Global Salmon Initiative (GSI), and FUTUREFISH.