Push for ocean roadmap that informs next global stocktake grows at COP31

ملخص مفصل

A group of countries including African nations, European Union, and small island states wants COP31 to deliver an ocean roadmap towards 2028 The post Push for ocean roadmap that…

A coalition of small island states, African countries, the European Union and other G20 nations is leading a push at COP31 in Antalya for a process that can deliver stronger ocean mandates in a key review of climate policies in 2028.

The group of countries is seeking to anchor the sprawling ocean agenda — which ranges from decarbonising transport and energy, adaptation of tourism and fisheries, and loss and damage — into the formal UN negotiations.

This year’s COP31 offers them a prime opportunity, experts say, as the Turkish and Australian co-presidency has signaled its intention to put oceans high in the summit’s agenda.

A coalition of small island states, African countries, the European Union and other G20 nations is leading a push at COP31 in Antalya for a process that can deliver stronger ocean mandates in a key review of climate policies in 2028.

The group of countries is seeking to anchor the sprawling ocean agenda — which ranges from decarbonising transport and energy, adaptation of tourism and fisheries, and loss and damage — into the formal UN negotiations.

This year’s COP31 offers them a prime opportunity, experts say, as the Turkish and Australian co-presidency has signaled its intention to put oceans high in the summit’s agenda.

The ocean is the world’s largest carbon sink and it has absorbed 93% of excess heat in the atmosphere. An extreme El Niño event this year has led to record-breaking temperatures of over 30℃ in some parts of the Pacific, placing coastal communities and fisheries at risk.

While some initiatives have emerged to strengthen the ocean’s role in national climate plans, at formal UN negotiations it has been sidelined to a voluntary dialogue with no negotiated agreements.

A key battleground is whether to kickstart a process at COP31 that would seek a strong reference to oceans in the next global stocktake of climate policies in 2028.

مطلع المقال، مقتطف من Climate Home News. لقراءة المقال كاملًا، افتحه على موقع الناشر.