Monaco’s Ambassador to the UN appointed co-Chair of the Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea

The President of the UN General Assembly has appointed Isabelle Picco and her counterpart in Trinidad and Tobago, Mrs. Pennelope Beckles, to lead the next meeting of the Process, to be held from 10th to 14th June 2019, on the theme “Ocean Sciences and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development”.

This process is of great interest to the Principality, which, through the Government of Monaco and non-governmental entities, is particularly active in the oceans and seas, developing and supporting numerous scientific programs and activities.

The co-chairs will be responsible for organising the work and ensuring, in collaboration with the UN Division of Maritime Affairs and the Law of the Sea, the formation of panels that will be composed of scientists, policymakers, members civil society and the private sector.

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They will then co-chair all meetings and present a report containing a summary of the discussions, the main elements of which will be transcribed in the annual resolution of the General Assembly on oceans and the law of the sea.

The participants particularly appreciate this Process because it remains the only forum where the delegations can deepen their knowledge and interact with a large number of experts in a wide variety of fields.

For example, recent meetings focused on anthropogenic underwater noise, the effects of climate change on the oceans, plastic and microplastic pollution, seafood for food security and ocean acidification.

The Scientific Center of Monaco (CSM) has participated twice (in 2013 and 2017) to present the conclusions of the international workshops on the socio-economic impacts of ocean acidification, which are organised at regular intervals in the Principality.

The 2019 meeting will be co-chaired by two women, for the first time since its inception in 2000, by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. This reflects efforts to ensure greater parity, including conducting formal meetings or coordinating negotiations.