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Dear <<First Name>>
Treaty negotiations to conserve and protect nearly two thirds of the ocean have opened on 4 September at the United Nations (UN). This may be the greatest opportunity in a generation to turn the tide on ocean degradation and biodiversity loss. After lengthy preparations, the two-week Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) was the first of a series of four negotiating sessions through 2020 for a new legally-binding treaty to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond 200 nautical miles from the shorelines, commonly known as the high seas. No overarching law is in place to safeguard its vital role in provisioning services, such as generating oxygen and regulating the climate. Protecting the ocean is essential not only for marine biodiversity, but for all life on Earth.
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The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS)
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Meanwhile, a lot of awareness raising is going on to connect these global negotiations and the interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the search for practical solutions. Invited by the UN Foundation, I was honoured to serve among the reviewers of proposals competing for support at the UN Solution Summit. During three days, on 25, 26 and 27 September, the 10 most promising solutions were on stage for their potential to scale up and bring these local solutions elsewhere. See the video of the last session here.
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Mundus maris conducted quite a number of activities during September that connected the big themes with experiences on the ground. These are all steps of the ongoing transformation. We just learnt about the Local 2030 Initiative of the Office of the Secretary General of the UN that wants to make the SDGs livable locally. Here we go!
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In Brussels? Make sure to come to our workshops on Friday 19 and Saturay 20 October!
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Coming up next are our workshops around the question “Good seafood – what is it?” on Friday 19 in English and on Saturday 20 October in Friday as part of the Good Food events in Brussels. A few places are still available – you can register at Eventbrite.
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The launch event of the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy will take place mid November in Dakar. Can you support the test phase?
We'd like to recognise the volunteers who have helped to boost activities. Well done! We also need some more help with translations so that the French, Spanish and Italian versions of the website are updated in a timely manner. Contact us at info@mundusmaris.org. Thank you!
Cornelia E. Nauen and the entire Mundus maris team
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Activities around the world
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FishBase Symposium in Kiel, 4 September
Every year the international consortium sustaining FishBase and other global information systems about biodiversity and human use of the ocean meet to assess progress and new challenges. Each time, a public science symposium showcases advances in using the information systems in practice. In the event Cornelia of Mundus maris of talked about experiences with fish rulers as pedagogical tools to support sustainable resource use.
Click to find out more
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Mundus maris inspires search of solutions to plastic pollution in Argentina
Early September, the University Belgrano, partner of Mundus maris, organised a set of activities within the framework of the Argentinean National Week of Science and Technology. One of these activities consisted of a role play where four stakeholders had a conflict over pollution of plastic waste as used in all restaurants from a fast food chain. The role play for high school students was created by UB.Verde, a task group born from the workshop “For an ocean without plastics”, during the World Oceans Week – it was a run-away success!
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Mundus maris in search of fish shops in Brussels to recommend
Volunteers of Mundus maris have been visiting fish shops in different parts of town in search of good ones to recommend at the forthcoming Good Fish workshops later in October. It turns out, the task is harder than thought as few sellers seem to pay attention to sustainable production as part of their purchasing decisions. Many would not even fulfil the minimum labelling requirements in Europe: name of the fish species, FAO area of production and indication whether the product is from aquaculture or capture fisheries... Watch this space for more.
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Plastic pollution of the ocean discussed at the European Parliament
The conference on "The effect of marine litter on fisheries and oceans" was organised by the European Parliament Intergroup on “Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development” at the EP in Brussels on 5 September 2018 to explore and discuss the new European Commission proposals on ways to tackle marine litter. Simona Boschetti of Mundus maris attended the conference and reports.
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Mundus maris at YOUMARES 9.0
Young university, young marine researchers. From 11 to 14 September 2018 the Carl von Ossietzky University in Oldenburg was a most welcoming host for the ninth and so far biggest gathering in the series of self organised conferences of YOUMARES supported also by Mundus maris. With around 300 registered participants from some 35 countries, 140 talks and 40 posters the event beat the record of previous conferences.
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Mundus maris for ocean protection at the car-free Sunday in Brussels
The Sunday without cars is a fixed appointment in Brussel's agenda and much loved by the inhabitants who take to the street in droves on byke, roller scates and foot. The Mundus maris team had a great field day talking to a cross-section of people about how to reduce the acidification of the ocean from traffic using fossil fuels. Lots of people suggested that cars should be banned at least once a month. Is the administration hearing the message of the citizens?
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