High Seas Conference Concluded with Paris Appeal

The High Seas, Our Future Conference concluded on 11 April 2013 in Paris, France with the launch of Paris Appeal for the High Seas. The conference stressed upon the importance of governance of the high seas, in context of the negotiations on the topic in 2014.

The world leaders were appealed by the UN to take strong actions towards protection of world’s oceans from the economic and environmental impacts of pollution, unsustainable exploitation, acidification and climate change.  

During the conference stress on furthering the scientific research by underlining the potential value of biodiversity of high areas was made. To ensure protection stress on transferring the technology and strengthening the capacities of the developing economies along with sustainable use of resources was made.

To enhance understanding of the ocean and informed governance, the participants of the conference reached to a consensus to increase funding for fundamental research.

Underlined facts by UNESCO
• Inadequate Governance: this will affect the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources
• Need to address to the outcome document on Sustainable Development recognized during UN Conference (UNCSD, or Rio+20) on urgent basis. i.e. the issu8e related to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity of marine in the areas that lies beyond its jurisdiction

Paris Appeal for High Seas was launched by the steering committee and this is open for being signed by the general public and will be presented to different institution of relevance that includes UN General Assembly. The appeal was for shared, transparent, democratic and international governance.

This conference on High Seas was organised by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE, France) and Tara Expeditions under the patronage of UNESCO.