Seychelles calls for framework for sustainable management of oceans
Vice-President Danny Faure, who is representing President James Michel at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS), delivered a keynote speech at the opening of the summit yesterday morning.
The Summit has been organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri).
VP Faure’s address focused on the sustainability of the oceans and the blue economy, which was welcomed by the summit as traditionally the focus of DSDS has been on land-based issues.
In his statement, Vice-President Faure emphasised that “we small islands know very well that it is the oceans that drive the global climate; it is the oceans that contributes significantly to the air that we breathe, and the food that we eat; it is the oceans that connect us through trade routes. And while humankind has been notorious in exploiting and polluting our oceans, we have yet to define a framework for the sustainable management of the oceans”.
He concluded his speech by saying that “Our blue economy is the green economy. It is about ocean conservation and sustainable use; it is about creating blue jobs, it is about eradication of poverty, it is about obtaining a more equitable revenue from our resources, it is about creating a link between what we do on land and in the ocean, it is about building partnerships for development. Preserving the oceans is a global responsibility, a joint effort and a long-lasting commitment”.
Also speaking was Kofi Annan, Nobel Laureate and former secretary-general of the United Nations. He said that climate change continues to affect the poor countries more than the developed countries, adding that a fundamental shift would be needed to integrate policy-making and reverse this trend.
“We need the right kind of incentives and support to counter the effects of climate change. Richer countries need to take up global commitments to reduce the amount of global gas emissions,” he said, adding that sustainability must be at the core of global policy planning.
On his side, Salman Khurshid, Minister for External Affairs of India, said: “The theme of the DSDS is topical and critical. We need a new global awakening where the needs of the poor are addressed adequately.”
During the event, the Tenth Sustainable Development Leadership Award was given to Anand Mahindra, who is the chairman and managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra. The Award felicitates global leaders for their contributions in the field of sustainable development. It is presented during the Summit as Teri’s tribute to eminent individuals engaged in encouraging global initiatives that can lead the world towards a sustainable future. It is to be recalled that President Michel was awarded this prestigious award in 2013.
Vice-President Faure is accompanied by the Minister for Environment and Energy, Professor Rolph Payet, and the Seychelles high commissioner to India, Ambassador Waven William.
Since 2001, Teri annually organises the DSDS, an international platform to facilitate the exchange of knowledge on all aspects of sustainable development. Over the past thirteen years, it has emerged as one of the foremost fora on issues of global sustainability. This flagship event of Teri brings together various heads of state and government, thought leaders, policy makers and leaders of industry and academia to deliberate on myriad issues. To date, the Summit has hosted 36 heads of state, ministers from over 50 countries and delegates from across continents. The Summit has evolved as a significant congregation of leaders from the fields of polity, economy, academia and civil society to deliberate on issues related to sustainable development.
The theme of this year’s Summit is “Attaining Food, Water, and Energy Security For All”. The three-day Summit, which ends today, comprised plenary sessions on a range of issues, including: Ensuring and expanding access to energy, water and food; Re-thinking development; How can businesses help attain energy, water, and food security; Dealing with energy, water, and food security challenges in Asia; The energy, water, food triangle; Gender: The core issue in sustainable development, among others.
The Summit has been organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri).
VP Faure’s address focused on the sustainability of the oceans and the blue economy, which was welcomed by the summit as traditionally the focus of DSDS has been on land-based issues.
In his statement, Vice-President Faure emphasised that “we small islands know very well that it is the oceans that drive the global climate; it is the oceans that contributes significantly to the air that we breathe, and the food that we eat; it is the oceans that connect us through trade routes. And while humankind has been notorious in exploiting and polluting our oceans, we have yet to define a framework for the sustainable management of the oceans”.
He concluded his speech by saying that “Our blue economy is the green economy. It is about ocean conservation and sustainable use; it is about creating blue jobs, it is about eradication of poverty, it is about obtaining a more equitable revenue from our resources, it is about creating a link between what we do on land and in the ocean, it is about building partnerships for development. Preserving the oceans is a global responsibility, a joint effort and a long-lasting commitment”.
Also speaking was Kofi Annan, Nobel Laureate and former secretary-general of the United Nations. He said that climate change continues to affect the poor countries more than the developed countries, adding that a fundamental shift would be needed to integrate policy-making and reverse this trend.
“We need the right kind of incentives and support to counter the effects of climate change. Richer countries need to take up global commitments to reduce the amount of global gas emissions,” he said, adding that sustainability must be at the core of global policy planning.
On his side, Salman Khurshid, Minister for External Affairs of India, said: “The theme of the DSDS is topical and critical. We need a new global awakening where the needs of the poor are addressed adequately.”
During the event, the Tenth Sustainable Development Leadership Award was given to Anand Mahindra, who is the chairman and managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra. The Award felicitates global leaders for their contributions in the field of sustainable development. It is presented during the Summit as Teri’s tribute to eminent individuals engaged in encouraging global initiatives that can lead the world towards a sustainable future. It is to be recalled that President Michel was awarded this prestigious award in 2013.
Vice-President Faure is accompanied by the Minister for Environment and Energy, Professor Rolph Payet, and the Seychelles high commissioner to India, Ambassador Waven William.
Since 2001, Teri annually organises the DSDS, an international platform to facilitate the exchange of knowledge on all aspects of sustainable development. Over the past thirteen years, it has emerged as one of the foremost fora on issues of global sustainability. This flagship event of Teri brings together various heads of state and government, thought leaders, policy makers and leaders of industry and academia to deliberate on myriad issues. To date, the Summit has hosted 36 heads of state, ministers from over 50 countries and delegates from across continents. The Summit has evolved as a significant congregation of leaders from the fields of polity, economy, academia and civil society to deliberate on issues related to sustainable development.
The theme of this year’s Summit is “Attaining Food, Water, and Energy Security For All”. The three-day Summit, which ends today, comprised plenary sessions on a range of issues, including: Ensuring and expanding access to energy, water and food; Re-thinking development; How can businesses help attain energy, water, and food security; Dealing with energy, water, and food security challenges in Asia; The energy, water, food triangle; Gender: The core issue in sustainable development, among others.
Forrás: www.nation.sc