IUCN event | 07 Nov, 2022

The Great Blue Wall: Accelerating and Scaling Up Ocean Action in the Western Indian Ocean

World leaders from the Western Indian Ocean region and beyond will come together to discuss the potential of the Great Blue Wall as an African-led initiative to counteract the effects of climate change and global warming while unlocking the potential of the blue economy to become a driver of nature conservation and sustainable development outcomes.

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Photo: Chris on Unsplash

The “Great Blue Wall” (GBW) initiative, which was endorsed by the World Conservation Congress in 2021, then subsequently launched at UNFCCC COP26 in Glasgow, is a major Africa-led effort toward a nature-positive world. Under the Great Blue Wall, proponents aim to create interconnected protected and conserved marine areas (“seascapes”) to counteract the effects of climate change and global warming in the Western Indian Ocean region while unlocking the potential of the blue economy to become to driver of nature conservation and sustainable development outcomes.

These seascapes will form a regional network of inclusive, fair, and productive large-scale marine conserved areas that will deliver both socio-economic and conservation outcomes by promoting regenerative practices and sustainable use of natural resources that benefit local livelihoods.

This event will demonstrate the leadership of WIO countries and explore how international partners from government, private sector and civil society can support the initiative.

Speakers will include:

  • H.E. Wavel Ramkalawan, President of the Republic of Seychelles

  • Ambassador Peter Thomson, UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Oceans

  • Børge Brende, President, World Economic Forum

  • Razan Al Mubarak, President, IUCN

  • Nigel Topping, High-Level Champion of the United Kingdom

  • Antonio Pedro, Acting Executive Secretary, UNECA