On February 26, the first United Nations Ocean Decade Ocean Cities Conference opened in Qingdao West Coast New Area. Near from 29 countries and regions400Relevant persons in charge of international sea-related organizations, representatives of domestic and foreign sea-related enterprises, government departments, scientific research institutions, experts and scholars gathered together to "Online + offlineDiscuss the sustainable development of the global ocean and create a new mechanism for global ocean city dialogue.
It is the first major event since the official launch of the "Cities by the Sea" platform of the UN Ocean Decadeand the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (Nice, France), which will build bridges of cooperation and exchange for global ocean cities by building consensus, sharing experiences and building partnerships, and provide an important opportunity to promote the sustainable development of oceans and cities.
The conference was hosted by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the Qingdao Municipal People's Government, and organized by the Qingdao West Coast New Area Management Committee and the Ocean Decade International Cooperation Center.The "1+1+5+1+2" 10 sessions will be set up, namely the "Ocean Decade" Qingdao Night, the opening ceremony, 5 thematic meetings, the closing ceremony, and 2 special activities, covering many important areas such as marine city resilience, tsunami disaster early warning, marine spatial planning, marine biodiversity conservation, port construction, and blue economy.
At the opening ceremony,Released the Annual Progress Report of the "City by the Sea" Platform。 The report notes that the Cities by the Beach platform builds on the UN Ocean Decade initiative to connect global ocean stakeholders, aims to enhance the role of coastal cities in sustainable development, and encourages joint science-based approaches to ocean city governance. The conference is a key initiative of the Seaside City platform, which will work closely with the Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Coalition to support the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.
At the opening ceremony, the approval ceremony of the new members of the "Seaside City" platform was also held。 Xiamen City, Ocean Cleanup Organization, Indian Ocean Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System Secretariat, Clean Climate and Environmental Protection Campaign, UNESCO Chair on Water, Ports and Historic Cities, Decade Action Project - Oceanography and Ecological Data for Nature-based Coastal Protection in Tunisia, Decade Action Project - Global Tsunami Real-time Early Warning System Organization, Decade Science Program - Global Ports and Sea Ecological Restoration Eight cities or institutions have become new members and partners of the "Coastal City" platform.
The event also included a youth campaign "Call on Coastal Cities to Take Action on Marine Conservation and Sustainable Development".。 "I am encouraged to see Qingdao's positive efforts in the Ocean Decade. Unleashing the power of youth has also given me a sense of pride and accomplishment in this ocean, and inspired me to go to the international stage, raise the voice of Chinese youth, and inspire more young people to take on the mission of protecting the ocean. Qingdao youth representative Liu Jiawei said.
"There is an inseparable relationship between the ocean and the city. The ocean provides abundant resources and development opportunities for cities, but with climate change and intensifying human activities, coastal cities are facing risks such as rising sea levels and degradation of marine ecosystems. The conference will focus on topics such as climate change and the blue economy, share best practices, improve the resilience of coastal cities, and contribute to the sustainable development of oceans and cities. Julian Barbière, UNESCO's Head of Ocean Policy and Regional Coordination and Global Coordinator of the UN Ocean Decade, said in his speech.
The blue sea, infinite life, infinite hope. In the session of "Blue Narrative Urban Resonance", Qingdao West Coast New Area, Mombasa County in Kenya, Seychelles and Nice in France shared their views on marine ecology to the world
The practical experience and advanced practices in the field of conservation systematically demonstrate the actions and achievements of various cities in controlling marine debris, protecting biodiversity, and building a green and low-carbon marine ecology.
Among them, the case of marine ecological protection and restoration in Qingdao West Coast New Area comprehensively demonstrates the exploration and practice of the new area in improving the function of marine ecosystems, promoting the harmonious coexistence of people and sea, and promoting the value transformation from "blue sea and silver beach" to "gold and silver mountains", providing reference and solutions for the sustainable development of global coastal cities.
In addition, the conference will hold five thematic sessions on climate change, marine pollution and marine biodiversity, and the sustainable development of the blue economy in coastal citiesAt the closing ceremony, the Qingdao Declaration will be issued, calling on coastal cities around the world to work together to build a fair, reasonable and sustainable blue partnership and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Ocean Sustainable Development Goals.
As a national-level new area with the theme of "marine economic development", Qingdao West Coast New Area focuses on opening up to the sea, deeply cultivating marine governance, and working with the United Nations Ocean Decade initiative to take the lead in deepening international cooperation and exchanges in the marine field, innovate and make breakthroughs, and create a new highland for marine openness and cooperation.The United Nations Ocean Decade Ocean and Climate Collaboration Center has settled in the new area, the country's only Ocean Decade International Cooperation Center has been officially put into operation here, becoming the official implementing partner of the United Nations Ocean Commission, and six international sea-related international organizations including the Western Pacific Regional Office of the Global Ocean Observing Partnership have settled in, making the new area the first local government in China to deeply participate in the United Nations Ocean Decade。 In 2024, the ecological restoration case of "blue sea with gold and blue carbon with value" in the West Coast New Area will be selected as one of the top ten typical cases of marine ecological protection and restoration in China; Ecological restoration practices such as Lingshan Island's "carbon-negative island" and Blue Bay remediation have provided a win-win model of "ecology + economy" for the world.
The wind is coming from the sea, and it is the right time to fight. From the Ocean Decade to the Ocean Century, from local practices to global solutions, Qingdao West Coast New Area, a blue city, is enthusiastically opening its arms to connect global ocean cities in the name of the ocean, jointly design and provide science-based solutions for the sustainable development of ocean cities, and jointly write a new chapter of "Ocean Makes Cities Better", and jointly build a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.
Source: China Economic Network Exhibition Reporter: Pan Chao, Zhao Yiran, Correspondent, Xia Cuimei, Tao Wenwen
