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© Douglas Robertson

In this Inaugural Event, made possible through the
kind support of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco
and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the
Friends of Ocean Action identified the key issues,
and associated solution areas to some pressing
ocean challenges, and shaped the work plan for
the year ahead.
Peter Thomson
United Nations Secretary What topics were discussed during
General’s Special Envoy
for the Ocean this inaugural meeting?
During the high level workshop of the Friends of
Ocean Action, solutions were identified for Friends
of Ocean Action to take forward. These included
What is “Friends of Ocean Action”? sustainable fisheries; illegal, unreported and unre-
It is a unique, informal group of leaders from inter- gulated fishing; ocean food security; ocean data;
national organizations, NGOs, business, technolo- plastic pollution; marine protected areas; ocean fi-
gy, science and research. The Friends of Ocean Ac- nance; emission reductions targets for the shipping
tion come together to build, scale-up and fast track industry.
practical solutions to the most pressing challenges
facing the ocean in line with Sustainable Develop-
ment Goal (SDG) 14: To “conserve and sustainably What are the next steps to reach these objec-
use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sus- tives by 2020??
tainable development.” Friends of Ocean Action will continue working on
the key ocean issues to 2020 to help achieve ocean
health and related SDG targets. The Friends, as an
Why was it so important that Friends of Ocean informal group of highly influential stakeholders in
Action took part in MOW 2018? the ocean agenda, will use their networks to am-
The Friends of Ocean Action was launched at the plify and scale up existing solutions and identify
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, new ones where needed, complementing interna-
and brings together some of the world’s most com- tional intergovernmental processes and initiatives in
mitted and influential activists, business-leaders a concerted effort to achieve a sustainable ocean
and thought-leaders to help shape global action to economy, crucial for humanity.
ensure a future healthy and sustainable Ocean. This
influential, multi-sector global network, amongst
other actions, is setting specific objectives to help Are you confident that the objectives
meet Sustainable Development Goal 14, the Ocean will be reached by 2020?
Goal, and advance a set of high level, impactful ini- Only by working together will we the Ocean. I am
tiatives and solutions in time for the proposed UN confident that the Friends of Ocean Action, and the
Ocean Conference in 2020. other ambitious and impactful initiatives, such as
the High Level Panel on a Sustainable Ocean Eco-
With four of the Ocean SDG targets maturing in nomy, will all work together towards the same goal
2020, urgent action is required to ensure that these of achieving a healthy ocean.
are on track. The MOW 2018 offered Friends of
Ocean Action the ideal platform to hold the Inau- In the past years a sense of urgency was raised
gural meeting, and start identifying and mobilize im- which needs to be maintained and translated into
pactful solutions for the ocean as well as maintain momentum to implement impactful solutions to save
the much needed momentum to get to 2030, when the ocean. We have a plan for this, which is SDG14,
all the targets will need to be met. and we are now seeing promising responses from
the global community in working together towards
this ambitious and much needed goal.