BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a516b43b75d4 DTSTART:20240620T130000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20240620T143000Z LOCATION:Online\, SUMMARY:Webinar: Towards a sustainable ocean economy: What role for cities? CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Approximately 27% of the global population – equivalent to ar ound 2.15 billion people – resides in coastal cities and the near coasta l zone. UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimated the value of the globa l ocean economy at $2.6 trillion in 2021. Oceans and coastal cities serve as dynamic interfaces where human behavior and urban development\, includi ng agricultural and manufacturing systems\, intersect with marine ecosyste ms and climate dynamics.Webinar ObjectiveThis Geneva Urban Debate (GUD) ai ms to raise awareness about the relevant activities by UN Trade and Develo pment (UNCTAD) and strengthen two-way information exchange between the org anization and Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) on the way for the Uni ted Nations Summit of the Future in September 2024 as well as for the Unit ed Nations Ocean Conference in 2025. Speakers will explore the multifacete d roles that cities can assume to foster synergistic relationships between human settlements and their coastal environments. Experts will explore in what areas LRGs can contribute to the work of UN Trade and Development to maximize their local impact. Our aim is to explore how UN Trade and Devel opment can help coastal cities help our global community to achieve the Su stainable Development Goals (SDGs).BackgroundThe vast expanse of oceans an d seas around the globe play multifaceted roles: they provide sustenance\, harbor minerals\, oxygenate the atmosphere\, absorb greenhouse gases\, in fluence weather patterns\, and serve as vital trade routes\, facilitating 80% of international commerce. They sustain livelihoods\, employment\, nut rition\, and drive economic growth in cities and islands.Most ocean and co astal cities share a symbiotic relationship with the sea. They rely on it for connectivity\, trade\, sustenance\, leisure\, tourism\, and climate re gulation. However\, this relationship is not unidirectional. Cities are al so a huge source of solid\, wastewater\, and chemical pollution. Particula rly in cities where environmental services such as sewage\, pollution cont rol\, solid and wastewater management are insufficient to meet the existin g and expected demand.Given their exclusive and shared responsibilities in urban planning\, public services\, economic development\, transport\, hea lth\, infrastructure\, and environmental controls\, Local and Regional Gov ernments play a pivotal role. They are called upon to champion sustainable development\, aligning their actions with relevant Sustainable Developmen t Goals.UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is exploring how the vulnerabili ties of coastal cities and regions\, such as climate change\, sea-level ri se\, and natural disasters can affect their trade and development prospect s. In cooperation with other UN agencies\, academia\, and civil society ac tors it promotes sustainable urban development strategies tailored to the unique needs of coastal cities. This includes integrating sustainable ocea n or blue economy considerations\, promoting green and resilient infrastru cture\, and fostering inclusive growth to mitigate the adverse effects of urbanization on coastal ecosystems.UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) provi des\, at their requests\, policy recommendations to governments – and so metimes to local and regional authorities – to address the challenges fa ced by coastal cities effectively. These recommendations encompass trade r egulatory frameworks\, land and ocean space planning\, economic diversific ation\, disaster preparedness\, and capacity building initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable development along coastal areas.The Geneva Urban De bate connects Local and Regional Governments and international organizatio ns to advance inclusive multilateralism and make intergovernmental decisio n-making more effective by integrating voices of local authorities. We bel ieve that UN Trade and Development’s work might benefit by bringing the experiences and needs of local and regional communities into the debate.Te ntative ProgrammeModerator: Mr. Andras Szorenyi\, Senior Policy Advisor\, Global Cities HubSetting the scene: Mr. Graham Alabaster\, Head of UN-Habi tat Geneva OfficeSpeakersH.E. Mr. José R Sánchez-Fung\, Ambassador\, Per manent Representative\, Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the World Trade Organization and UNCTAD\, GenevaMr. David Vivas Eugui\, Chief of Section\, Ocean and Circular Economy\, UN Trade and Development (UNCTA D) Mr. Awni Behnam\, Honorary President\, International Ocean Institute ( IOI)\, MaltaMr. Sergi Tudela\, Director General for Maritime Policy and Su stainable Fisheries\, Generalitat de Catalunya Q&\;A<\;p>\;Approxi mately 27% of the global population – equivalent to around 2.15 billion people – resides in coastal cities and the near coastal zone. UN Trade a nd Development (UNCTAD) estimated the value of the global ocean economy at $2.6 trillion in 2021. Oceans and coastal cities serve as dynamic interfa ces where human behavior and urban development\, including agricultural an d manufacturing systems\, intersect with marine ecosystems and climate dyn amics.<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;Webinar Objective<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;Thi s Geneva Urban Debate (GUD) aims to raise awareness about the relevant act ivities by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and strengthen two-way inform ation exchange between the organization and Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) on the way for the United Nations Summit of the Future in Septembe r 2024 as well as for the United Nations Ocean Conference in 2025. Speaker s will explore the multifaceted roles that cities can assume to foster syn ergistic relationships between human settlements and their coastal environ ments. Experts will explore in what areas LRGs can contribute to the work of UN Trade and Development to maximize their local impact. Our aim is to explore how UN Trade and Development can help coastal cities help our glob al community to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).<\;/p&g t\;<\;h4>\;Background<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;The vast expanse of ocean s and seas around the globe play multifaceted roles: they provide sustenan ce\, harbor minerals\, oxygenate the atmosphere\, absorb greenhouse gases\ , influence weather patterns\, and serve as vital trade routes\, facilitat ing 80% of international commerce. They sustain livelihoods\, employment\, nutrition\, and drive economic growth in cities and islands.<\;/p>\;& lt\;p>\;Most ocean and coastal cities share a symbiotic relationship wit h the sea. They rely on it for connectivity\, trade\, sustenance\, leisure \, tourism\, and climate regulation. However\, this relationship is not un idirectional. Cities are also a huge source of solid\, wastewater\, and ch emical pollution. Particularly in cities where environmental services such as sewage\, pollution control\, solid and wastewater management are insuf ficient to meet the existing and expected demand.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Gi ven their exclusive and shared responsibilities in urban planning\, public services\, economic development\, transport\, health\, infrastructure\, a nd environmental controls\, Local and Regional Governments play a pivotal role. They are called upon to champion sustainable development\, aligning their actions with relevant Sustainable Development Goals.<\;/p>\;<\ ;p>\;UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is exploring how the vulnerabilit ies of coastal cities and regions\, such as climate change\, sea-level ris e\, and natural disasters can affect their trade and development prospects . In cooperation with other UN agencies\, academia\, and civil society act ors it promotes sustainable urban development strategies tailored to the u nique needs of coastal cities. This includes integrating sustainable ocean or blue economy considerations\, promoting green and resilient infrastruc ture\, and fostering inclusive growth to mitigate the adverse effects of u rbanization on coastal ecosystems.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;UN Trade and Deve lopment (UNCTAD) provides\, at their requests\, policy recommendations to governments – and sometimes to local and regional authorities – to add ress the challenges faced by coastal cities effectively. These recommendat ions encompass trade regulatory frameworks\, land and ocean space planning \, economic diversification\, disaster preparedness\, and capacity buildin g initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable development along coastal are as.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;The Geneva Urban Debate connects Local and Regio nal Governments and international organizations to advance inclusive multi lateralism and make intergovernmental decision-making more effective by in tegrating voices of local authorities. We believe that UN Trade and Develo pment’s work might benefit by bringing the experiences and needs of loca l and regional communities into the debate.<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;Tentati ve Programme<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Moderator: Mr. Andras Szorenyi\,<\;/strong>\; Senior Policy Advisor\, Global Cities Hub<\; /p>\;<\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Setting the scene: Mr. Graham Alabaster\ ,<\;/strong>\; Head of UN-Habitat Geneva Office<\;/p>\;<\;p>\; <\;strong>\;Speakers<\;/strong>\;<\;/p>\;<\;ul>\;<\;li&g t\;<\;strong>\;H.E. Mr. José R Sánchez-Fung\,<\;/strong>\; Ambas sador\, Permanent Representative\, Permanent Mission of the Dominican Repu blic to the World Trade Organization and UNCTAD\, Geneva<\;/li>\;<\; li>\;<\;strong>\;Mr. David Vivas Eugui\,<\;/strong>\; Chief of S ection\, Ocean and Circular Economy\, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)&am p\;nbsp\;<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;<\;span class="\;ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak& quot\; dir="\;ltr\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/me eting/webinar-towards-sustainable-ocean-economy-what-role-cities DTSTAMP:20260710T215931Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR