Next week the World Ocean Summit celebrates its tenth anniversary from February 27th to March 1st in Lisbon. The Summit aims to examine the greatest challenges facing the ocean: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution--the triple threat nexus. These all intersect with our ISLANDS Programme because an integrated approach across sectors is imperative for action and amplification of a sustainable and resilient approach in the Large Ocean States economies. This includes the need for sustainable financing and integration of a circular economy with sound chemical and waste management to reduce the triple threat and bringing shipping, fishing and aquaculture, and tourism sectors to the planning and decision-making table, just as ISLANDS is doing. This all must be part of the conversation for ecosystem and community resilience, but the Summit does seem to lack a commitment to and space to discuss pathways for gender-transformation across Oceans work.
If you'll be there, keep us posted on key interventions, proposals, and new opportunities for our Community members. And as ISLANDS members, please remember that you can be an advocate for ensuring gender equality and social inclusion are at the forefront of all of these conversations, sessions, and any outcomes as our ISLANDS people ARE the frontline of impact but also solutions.