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The government has proposed three landmark outcomes to be adopted at the upcoming third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3).
The outcomes are aimed at maintaining the Ocean health and optimizing the marine economy.
Speaking while unveiling the proposals, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi urged UNOC-3 to prioritize: The establishment of an Ocean Science-Policy Panel to bridge scientific research and policymaking.
Similarly, he proposed the adoption of robust instruments for sustainable ocean governance, moving beyond the creation of Sustainable Ocean Plans.
This as well as the ratification and rapid implementation of the BBNJ Agreement and the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, along with the creation of a UN Ocean Finance Facility to support marine restoration and strengthen coastal community resilience.
CS Mudavadi who was speaking during the Second Nairobi Environmental Diplomacy Symposium (NEDS-2), held at the United States International University-Africa noted that pollution has become a major threat to the ocean, leading to ocean acidification, death of corals, and loss of aquatic species.
“Worrying statistics by UNEP reveal that between 19-23 million metric tonnes of plastic waste are dumped each year into aquatic ecosystems. It is more perturbing that the world continues to produce over 460 million tonnes of plastics each year. It is projected that by 2040, about 23 to 37million tonnes of waste will be yearly dumped in the ocean.” He noted.
The proposals were delivered as part of Kenya’s wider call for coordinated global action to reverse the degradation of marine ecosystems.
Kenya also took a strong stance on plastic pollution, urging the adoption of a legally binding international treaty to end plastic waste during the upcoming INC5.2 talks in Geneva.
“Turning to INC5.2, I recommend the following. First, we should aim to adopt an International Legally binding Instrument to End Plastic Pollution this August in Geneva.” He remarked.
According to Nairobi, the instrument should cover the full life cycle of plastics backed by provision of requisite financial resources, technology and capacity building.
Mudavadi also noted that the world needs to adopt multifaceted approaches that can power the much-needed just transitioning to green development pathways.
Thirdly, he stressed the need to phase out single use plastics while promoting use of biodegradables and circular economy.
The CS reaffirmed Kenya’s call for bold global action to safeguard oceans and reform environmental governance, and welcomed the UN’s decision to expand its footprint in Nairobi with three new global offices, cementing the city’s growing stature as a UN hub.
The Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) will convene in Nice, France, in June 2025. The Governments of France and Costa Rica will co-chair the Conference, which aims to generate transformative action and provide solutions the ocean needs, supported by ocean science and funding for SDG 14 (life below water).
