Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh left for Portugal today to take part in the “2022 UN Ocean Conference” at Lisbon from 27th of June to 1st of July 2022. More than 130 countries will participate in the UN Ocean Conference.
Dr Jitendra Singh will deliver the Keynote address on behalf of India at the UN Conference on the theme “Scaling up Ocean Action based on Science and Innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: Stocktaking, Partnerships and Solutions”.
In his departure statement, Dr Jitendra Singh said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India would be providing science and innovation-based solutions for the implementation of Goal 14 through partnerships and environmentally friendly solutions. He said, India has well established collaboration and partnerships with UN Agencies and Research Institutions for bridging the methodology and data gaps on SDG indicators and working towards UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2021–2030, for clean, healthy, productive, predictive, safe and accessible ocean.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, with the participation of civil society and other relevant stakeholders, the participant nations will reaffirm our strong commitment to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources. He added that greater ambition is required at all levels to address the dire state of the ocean. As leaders and representatives of our Governments, we are determined to act decisively and urgently to improve the health, productivity, sustainable use and resilience of the ocean and its ecosystems.
Dr Jitendra Singh informed that India has taken up several initiatives, programmes and policy interventions through different Ministries and Departments to protect the marine and coastal ecosystems, mangroves and coral reefs. There are 10 targets in Goal 14 to measure the health and services of water related ecosystems with emphasis on social, economic and environmental conservation. A total of 11 indicators have been identified at national level to measure and monitor the progress of these targets and data is collected on a regular basis for 9 indicators by monitoring the health/condition of coastal Waters and marine ecosystems.
At the end of deliberations, the Conference will adopt, by consensus, a brief, concise, action-oriented and inter-governmentally agreed declaration focusing on, and highlighting, the science-based and innovative areas of action to support the implementation of Goal 14 and a report containing the co-chairs’ summaries of the interactive dialogues.
The leaders will also reaffirm the declaration entitled “Our ocean, our future: call for action”, adopted by the high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, held from 5 to 9 June 2017.
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