Regional Seas Side Event - 10th Our Ocean Conference: Strategic and Convening roles and contributions of UNEP’s Regional Sea Conventions an...

When: 29 April 2025 at 11:00-12:30 (KST)

Where: 201+202, Convention Hall, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea

The world faces multiple planetary crises, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution – often referred to as the “Triple Planetary Crises”. Addressing these challenges requires integrated and comprehensive solutions, as solving the challenges separately in a “one-by-one” approach is not sufficient given the urgency of the situation. 

Strategic and Convening roles and contributions of UNEP’s Regional Sea Conventions and Action Plans - addressing the Triple Planetary Crises in the Marine Environment

This side event will highlight the efforts of the UNEP RSCAPs regional seas in promoting coordination and collaboration for the sustainable governance of the marine environment. The panel discussion will facilitate knowledge exchange in addressing the triple planetary crises in the marine environment at national, regional, and global levels.

Objectives:

• To present recent updates and tailored regional initiatives of ocean governance, in addressing the triple planetary crises in the marine and coastal ecosystems
• To facilitate knowledge sharing on national, regional, and global initiatives in addressing triple planetary crises in the marine environment 
• To highlight best practices success stories and key achievements in certain key thematic areas in addressing triple planetary crises
• To promote regional and international cooperation to foster harmonized approaches for addressing triple planetary crises in the marine environment conservation

Agenda: 
1. Opening (11.00-11.20)

Moderator:
Yegor Volvovik, Coordinator, UNEP NOWPAP

Opening Remarks
Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean
Tatjana Hema, Officer in Charge, Regional Seas Branch, UNEP
Chuop Paris, Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment, Cambodia
Myung Jin Kim, Director General, International Cooperation, Ministry of
Oceans and Fisheries, Republic of Korea

2. Updates from UNEP Regional Sea Convention and Action Plans (11.20 – 11.50)

Moderator:
Jimin Hong, Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Associate (IC), UNEP COBSEA

Christopher Corbin, Coordinator, Cartagena Convention
Mamadou Kane, Coordinator, Abidjan Convention
Tatjana Hema, Coordinator, Barcelona Convention
Jared Bosire, Coordinator, Nairobi Convention
Mahesh Pradhan, Coordinator, COBSEA
Yegor Volvovik, Coordinator, NOWPAP

3. Panel Discussion and Q&A (11.50-12.30)

Moderator:
Mr. Mahesh Pradhan, Coordinator, UNEP COBSEA

Panelists:
Petros Varelidis, Secretary General, Ministry of Environment, Greece
Ottilia Thoresen, Senior Analyst, Swedish Agency for Marine and Water
Management (SwAM)
Seong-Gil Kang, Director, Marine Environmental Emergency
Preparedness and Response Regional Activity Centre (MERRAC)
Aimee Gonzales, Executive Director, Partnerships in Environmental
Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA)
Anders Poulsen, Senior Project Manager, Global Environmental Facility
South China Seas Strategic Action Programme (SCS SAP)
Joe Appiott, Coordinator, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD)