One Ocean Summit - February 11th 2022

Excellencies,

Thank you, President Macron, for your leadership on Ocean affairs. Sadly I can not be with you in person because of Covid in the family.

During our Chairmanship of the Arctic Council, we put focus on plastics in the ocean, with a scientific symposium in Reykjavik with leading international experts.  But in addition to better scientific understanding – we need political determination.

Iceland fully supports a plan which includes internationally binding action against ocean plastic pollution. 

Worrying developments in the Arctic reflect the diversity and complexity of today´s challenges. The ongoing climate crisis is already known to be the reason for the acidification of the ocean, risking the entire marine ecosystem.

Before this Summit is a document urging for a rapid conclusion of the BBNJ negotiations. Iceland fully supports the conclusion of a comprehensive, well-functioning agreement under UNCLOS, building on key existing structures.

There is still a lack of progress towards reaching the Sustainable development goals, including on Life below water. 

Here, we need to eliminate illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing (IUU). Regrettably, a quarter of all fish harvested world-wide is the result of IUU fishing.

I fully support the call for action of the UN Secretary General and the special envoy of the UN for the Ocean to stop IUU fishing.

Thankfully, FAO data shows that two-thirds of the world’s fish stocks are sustainably managed. We must maintain good fisheries management where it is already in place and strengthen it in places where needed.

Finally,

Iceland strongly advocates for including aquatic/blue food in our food systems‘ transformation into the political declaration of the UN conference on the Ocean.

Thank you for your attention.