The Dominican Republic was selected Monday as vice-president of the United Nations Ocean Conference 2022, during the opening of the important event being held in Lisbon, capital of Portugal, from June 27 to July 1.
According to a press release, this selection makes the country one of the thirteen nations that are part of this select group.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is represented in this forum by the Vice Minister of Coastal and Marine Resources, José Ramón Reyes, and the Vice Minister of International Cooperation, Milagros De Camps.
The initial day of the conference addressed the challenges and opportunities for the ocean economy to contribute to a sustainable and resilient recovery for all countries.
In presenting the efforts and progress made by the Dominican Republic in this area, the country’s representatives highlighted the actions being implemented to increase the effective protection of the oceans and achieve the goal of 30 percent of local protected areas corresponding to maritime territory.
They also highlighted the alliances with national and international organizations such as Mission Blue, the Minderoo Foundation, Wyss and the Blue Nature Alliance, which will allow them to promote studies and research that will help expand marine protected areas in the Dominican Republic.
They emphasized that scientific expeditions are being organized that will allow the country to update and create the baseline of these maritime spaces, as well as to reach 30 percent of effective protection of the Dominican maritime area.
José Ramón Reyes and Milagros De Camps also participated in the Leading By Doing event, which consists of showcasing the latest large-scale actions and new announcements on ocean conservation.
About the conference
The conference is being held in support of the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is to “conserve and wisely use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”
The forum, which is co-sponsored by the Governments of Portugal and Kenya, will address deep-rooted problems in societies that have been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and will require major structural transformations and shared common solutions anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs.
In this sense, the conference seeks to promote innovative solutions based on science and aimed at initiating a new chapter of global action on the oceans, taking into account that sustainable management of these bodies of water includes the implementation of green technologies and innovative use of marine resources.
Other topics to be addressed at the event include health threats, ecology, economics, ocean governance, among others.
Learn more: Conference on Oceans
Learn more: Nature in Dominican Republic
