UNESCO

On 3 December, the ‘Ocean and
Climate Forum’, a coalition of civil society
organizations and scientific institutions
supported by IOC-UNESCO, inaugurated
the series, bringing decision-makers
together with scientists, economic actors,
civil society and youth representatives, to
debate the link between oceans and the
climate. The IOC’s Executive Secretary,
Vladimir Ryabinin, said, ‘We need to
have all society with us, to make people
feel that they belong to the ocean and
the ocean belongs to them. … We need
to engage all heads of state, scientists,
negotiators and businesses that are present
at COP21.’ The debate was divided into four
panels highlighting the key stakeholder
groups assembled and targeting several
issues from the issues and gaps in ocean
and climate research to the challenges and
opportunities of managing an ocean-based
sustainable economy.
On 4 December, the ‘Oceans Day at
COP21’ followed up on the recommendations
of the ‘Ocean and Climate Forum’, as well as
those of previous UNFCCC Oceans Days, the
Oceans Day at Rio+20 and the outcomes
of the World Ocean Day celebrations held
at UNESCO in June to advance the climate
and ocean agenda within the UNFCCC
during and beyond COP21. It also promoted
political leadership, involving high-level
personalities to draw attention to the need
for COP21 to adopt an ambitious agreement.
Among those attending were Irina Bokova,
UNESCO Director-General; Vladimir Ryabinin;
Ségolène Royal, Minister of Ecology for
France; HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco;
Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr., President
of the Republic of Palau; and Manuel
Pulgar-Vidal, Minister of the Environment for
Peru. The organizers presented a strategic
Without education, no sustainable development
The thematic day on education organized on 4 December was attended by a number of eminent
international officials. Ms Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Minister of Education for France, called on her
counterparts from around the world to gear their education systems to the challenges of sustainable
development. The essential role of education in safeguarding biodiversity as well as linguistic and cultural
diversity was highlighted. UNESCO Director-General called for Education for Sustainable Development
to be recognized in the final climate agreement, and outlined three crucial actions which would enable
countries to move forward in their response: integrating sustainable development more deeply into
national education systems; giving teachers the knowledge, resources and skills to fulfil their role as
change agents; and creating stronger and more innovative partnerships, including with the private sector.
plan focused on priority issues such as
mitigation, adaptation, financing, capacitydevelopment,
public education, ocean
science and observation.
The UNESCO Director-General chaired
the closing panel, emphasizing the
essential role of healthy oceans, and
calling on the international community to
mobilize to protect them. She mentioned
IOC-UNESCO’s central role in contributing
to a better understanding of the physical,
biological and chemical changes due to
climate change, and UNESCO’s work on
the preservation of marine ecosystems
through its unique Marine World Heritage
Programme. She also drew attention to the
extent to which the livelihoods of Small
Island Developing States (SIDS) rely on a
healthy ocean, and confirmed that the SIDS
were at the heart of UNESCO’s agenda.
Najat Vallaud-
Belkacem, Minister
of Education
for France,
and UNESCO
Director-General
Irina Bokova
on 4 December
at COP21.
Julian Barbière and Vladimir Ryabinin from IOC-UNESCO celebrate the
gathering of 25,000 signatures of the Ocean’s Call for Climate. This Call
aimed to contribute to successful negotiations for an ambitious agreement
at COP21 by raising awareness about the link between ocean and climate.
It was launched as part of the many World Oceans Day activities organized
by IOC-UNESCO at the Organization’s Headquarters on 8 June 2015.
© UNESCO
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© UNESCO/Pilar Chiang-Joo