COP30 Action Agenda event: Seaweed and aquatic foods – blue solutions for climate resilience
©AdobeStock
Seaweed and aquatic foods are emerging as powerful nature-based solutions to address the climate crisis, enhance food security, and support sustainable livelihoods. This event explores pathways for sustainable aquatic food and non-food uses (e.g. cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biomaterials & biofuels) through FAO’s Blue Transformation and the UN Global Seaweed Initiative (UNGSI), showcasing how aquatic systems can drive climate-resilient, low-emission, and nature-positive solutions for food, product development and livelihoods.
Objectives
As part of the COP30 Action Agenda, this workshop on Action Agenda Key Objective 9: “more resilient, adaptive, and sustainable food systems”, this event will spotlight: 1) the Plan on Aquatic blue foods to Accelerate the Multiple Benefits of Algae Aquaculture, developed by members of the United Nations Global Seaweed Initiative (UNGSI) and 2) the Plan to Accelerate Aquatic Food Systems as Climate Solutions developed by FAO and partners.
The event will also highlight the role of aquatic food systems in climate resilience and sustainable development and encourage new Member States to join the UNGSI and commit to advancing seaweed-based climate solutions.
Expected outcomes
- Showcasing sustainable aquatic food systems and algae development as integral components of global climate discussions, marked by national commitments and inclusion in Nationally Determined Contributions 3.0 and National Adaptation Plans.
- Launch of practical tools and data, new collaboration opportunities, production, trade, investments, and partnerships, under Blue Transformation and the UNGSI platform.
- Commitments to scale up implementation of aquatic foods and algae-related climate solutions, in alignment with the Plans to Accelerate Solutions submitted by FAO and UNCTAD on behalf of the UNGSI.
Partners
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Global Seaweed Initiative (UNGSI), UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Industrial Development Agency (UNIDO), United Nations Global Compact, UNESCO-IOC, Brazil Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Aquatic Blue Food Coalition (ABFC), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Global Seaweed Coalition (GSC), Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), WorldFish, European Bureau for Conservation and Development (EBCD)
Agenda
- Mr. Vincent Doumeizel, Senior Advisor Ocean, United Nations Global Compact, Global Seaweed Coalition
- Mr. Rivetla Edipo Araujo Cruz, Vice-Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Brazil
- Ms. Chantal Line Carpentier, Head of Trade, Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, UNCTAD
- Ms. Maya Takagi, Regional Programme Leader from Latin America and the Caribbean, FAO
- Mr. Pio Manoa, Deputy Director General, Forum Fisheries Agency for the Pacific Islands
- Mr. Mohamed Ali Sheikh, Fisheries Director, Tanzania
- Mr. Kevin Basoa, Coordinator of the National Inventory System, Ministry of Environment, Chile
- Mr. Okeloh W’Namadoa, Secretary General of the Pan African Platform of Non-State Actors in Fisheries and Aquaculture (AFRIFISH-Net)
- Mr. Flavio Diniz Gaspar Lontro, Coordinator of the National Commission for the Strengthening of Extractive Reserves and of Coastal and Marine Extractive Traditional Peoples and Communities (CONFREM)
Vincent Doumeizel is Senior Adviser on the oceans to the United Nations Global Compact as well as director of the Food Programme at the Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
A self-described optimist and global citizen, Vincent has in recent years devoted himself to promoting a food revolution and environmental solutions based on sea resources, especially seaweed. Vincent leads the charitable objectives of the Foundation through the funding of innovative projects to drive safety in the food supply chain.
Partnering with the UN, FAO, World Bank, WWF, universities, NGOs and large brands, Vincent released the “Seaweed Manifesto” and now co-leads the Global Seaweed Coalition with the objective to scale up the seaweed industry safely in order to address some of the world’s most important challenges, such as hunger, global warming, pollution and poverty.
Mr. Rivetla Edipo Araujo Cruz serves as the Vice-Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Brazil. An Agricultural Technician from the Institute for the Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Development of the State of Amazonas (IDAM), he holds a bachelor's degree in Fisheries Engineering (2013) and a master's degree in Aquaculture and Tropical Aquatic Resources (2016), both from the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA).
He also earned a doctorate in Aquatic Ecology and Fisheries from the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) in 2020, which included a research period at the University of Florida. From 2019 to 2022, he held several leadership positions at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply, including Coordinator, General Coordinator, and Director.
From 2022 to 2024, he served as a Director at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Dr. Carpentier, from Quebec, Canada, is Head of Trade, Environment, Climate change, and Sustainable Development Branch of UNCTAD’s Division on International Trade and Commodities (DTIC). Her work with governments and partners foster green, blue, circular, and impact economies that supported by trade, are key to addressing the triple planetary crisis: climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. She came to Geneva after leading the UNCTAD New York office, representing the SG and coordinating UNCTAD’s support to inter-governmental negotiations of the UN General Assembly (2015-2023).
She held several other positions. At the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, she facilitated the engagement of NGOs, women and youth’s groups, business, local authorities, etc. in the SDGs negotiations and the UN Rio+20 Conference (2011-2015). She also supported the Commission on Sustainable Development research and negotiations on sustainable agriculture and sustainable consumption and production (2007-2011).
Prior to joining the UN, she Headed the North American Free Trade Agreement Commission for Environmental Cooperation’s, Environment, Economy and Trade Division (2000-2007), was Agro-environmental policy analyst for Winrock International (1998-2000) and post-Doctoral fellow/Brazil office manager for the International Food Policy Research Institute (1996-1998).
She has a PhD. in Agro-Environmental Economics from Virginia Tech, as well as a MSc. and BSc. in Agro- Economics from McGill University and is an ironman and ultramarathoner. She is a Yale World Fellow, received the 2023 Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship public intrapreneur award, and is a UNEP Who’s Who of Women and the Environment.
