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UN members adopt the ‘Lisbon Declaration’

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    World Affairs
  • Published
    5th Jul, 2022

Context

Recently, all 198 members of the United Nations unanimously adopted July 1, 2022 the Lisbon Declaration on ocean conservation. 

Background

  • The Lisbon Treaty started as a constitutional project at the end of 2001 (European Council declaration on the future of the European Union, or Laeken declaration).
  • It was followed up in 2002 and 2003 by the European Convention which drafted the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (Constitutional Treaty). 
  • The process leading to the Lisbon Treaty is a result of the negative outcome of two referendums on the Constitutional Treaty in May and June 2005, in response to which the European Council decided to have a two-year ‘period of reflection’. 
  • Finally, on the basis of the Berlin declaration of March 2007, the European Council of 21 to 23 June 2007 adopted a detailed mandate for a subsequent Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), under the Portuguese presidency. 
  • The IGC concluded its work in October 2007. 
  • The Treaty was signed at the European Council of Lisbon on 13 December 2007 and has been ratified by all Member States.
  • It sends a strong signal to urgently improve the health, sustainable use and resilience of the ocean.  
  • It was recognised that developing countries, particularly small island developing states and least developed countries, need assistance with capacity building.


Objectives 

  • It aims to follow science-based and innovative actions on an urgent basis. 
  • It aims to protect at least 30% of national maritime zones by 2030.
  • It aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.
  • Allocating funds to research on ocean acidification, climate resilience and surveillance.
  • Scale-up Science-based and innovative actions to address ocean emergency
  • Support implementation of SDG14 (life below water) by empowering women and girls- recognising their participation is crucial to building a sustainable ocean-based economy
  • Protect biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, which lie outside the 200-mile (322-kilometer) exclusive economic zones of countries.
  • Participants at the conference also agreed to work on preventing, reducing and controlling marine pollution. It includes:
    • Nutrient pollution
    • Untreated wastewater
    • Solid waste discharges
    • Hazardous substances
    • Emissions from the maritime sector, including shipping, shipwrecks
    • Anthropogenic underwater noise

India initiatives

  • India will take up the Coastal clean sea campaign (‘Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar’.)
  • Ban on single-use plastics.

Significance

  • Sustainable ocean-based economies: developing and promoting innovative financing solutions to help create sustainable ocean-based economies as well as expanding nature-based solutions to help conserve and preserve coastal communities.   
  • Restoring harmony with nature through a healthy, productive, sustainable and resilient ocean is critical for our planet, our lives and our future.  

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