UN Ocean Conference - PROMAR Side Event

Concept:

Marine litter has become one of the most relevant issues on the multilateral environmental agenda in recent years, gaining particular momentum at UNEA-5.2, where a resolution was adopted, mandating the international community to negotiate a global agreement on plastic pollution. Having significant association with human health, biodiversity, and climate change, marine litter, which consists mostly of plastic, has become a crosscutting topic for the three great planetary crises: biodiversity loss, rapid climate change, and pollution.

Innovative approaches to tackle all three planetary crises are necessary in order to reduce and prevent marine litter, especially for the region adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. In this region and elsewhere, this issue needs to be addressed under a multisectoral and intersectional approach, promoting the participation of public and private stakeholders in the development of solutions that strengthen the achievement of target 14.1 of the Sustainable Development Agenda to prevent marine litter.

Through this side event in the realms of the UN Ocean Conference 2022, we seek to host a space to disseminate and exchange good practices carried out in Colombia, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic through the development of circular economy solutions for marine litter prevention in the Caribbean Sea. The event also seeks to reflect on how South-South cooperation and multisectoral alliances play an important role in the fulfillment of SDG14 in order to significantly prevent marine pollution and promote a healthier ocean. 

By highlighting circular economy solutions and innovations, this side event also aims at reducing the global materials footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. Thereby, it also serves the achievement of SDG 12 (sustainable consumption and production) and SDG 13 (climate action). 

With the aim of sharing success stories as well as lessons learned from ongoing initiatives in the Caribbean Sea, the side event aims at inspiring and encouraging others to follow their lead. By propelling a circular economy through innovation, the showcased initiatives are examples of how science-based innovation can prevent marine litter and plastic pollution and therefore directly contribute to SDG 14. By highlighting the success of South-South partnerships, the side event intends to illustrate how stakeholders across sectors can amplify their efforts to prevent marine litter.

Preliminary Program: 

Welcome and introduction by the facilitator

Maro Luisa Schulte, adelphi, Germany 

Marine litter in the Caribbean Sea - situation, legal framework and efforts.

Eddy Frank Vásquez, Parley for the Oceans, Dominican Republic

Circular Economy and innovation as a catalyst for ocean health. 

Carlos Cadavid, Socya, Colombia. 

South-South partnership for measuring and preventing marine litter . 

Daira Gómez, CEGESTI, Costa Rica. 

Each Input will be followed by a brief round of questions of clarification.

Panel discussion with the three speakers and the audience

Speakers: 

• Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dominican Republic 
• André França, Ministry of Environment, Brazil 
• Eugenio Androvetto, Director, Directorate of Radiological Protection Ministry of Health of Costa Rica
• Andrea Corzo, Director, Department of Multilateral Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Colombia

After introductory questions by the moderator to the panel, participants are invited to:

• Ask questions to the panelists
• Share their own experiences
• Discuss how scaling up these examples could work within their region
• Network

Concluding remarks 

Jan Janssen, adelphi, Germany