Background
Seaweeds are a powerhouse for advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including those currently under review. By boosting nutrition, enhancing food security, and driving pharmaceutical innovation, seaweeds can significantly improve health outcomes (SDG3). In coastal communities, seaweed farming and processing offer remarkable opportunities for women's economic empowerment (SDG5). Having tripled from $5 billion in 2000 to $17 billion in 2021, the seaweed market presents a chance for countries to foster sustainable growth, create decent jobs, and support smallholders (SDG8). Seaweeds also play a critical role in mitigating ocean acidification, reducing marine pollution, and preserving marine ecosystems (SDG14).
At UNOC-3, the United Nations Global Seaweed Initiative (UNGSI) was agreed under the leadership of Madagascar, Indonesia, and France, in collaboration with UN agencies, relevant private sector associations, and scientific and civil society actors. The UNGSI will serve as a collaborative platform for developing the seaweed sector in market, regulatory, scientific, financial, capacity building, and advocacy areas. It will be launched at the 2025 United Nations General Assembly as an important step in fostering a global partnership around seaweed and strengthening policy coordination under SDG17. This event will showcase seaweeds’ multifaceted contributions to the SDGs, present the UNGSI as a concrete partnership underway as well as the development of a Seaweed Breakthrough to guide conservation and preservation efforts.
Tentative Agenda:
- Opening
- Ms. Nichola Dyer, Global Seaweed Coalition, Moderator
- Welcoming remarks
- Mr. Ike Levine, International Seaweed Association
- Mr. Juan José Martinez Badillo, Chief UNCTAD, NY office
- Opening keynote
- Mr. Paubert Mahatante Tsimanaoraty, Minister Fisheries and the Blue Economy or Ms. Lantovololona Felaniaina, Director of Aquaculture department, Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, Madagascar and founding member state of the UNGSI (tbc)
Panel presentations on SDGs under review:
- Mr. Paubert Mahatante Tsimanaoraty, Minister Fisheries and the Blue Economy or Ms. Lantovololona Felaniaina, Director of Aquaculture department, Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, Madagascar and founding member state of the UNGSI (tbc)
- SDG3, Ms. Shakuntala Thilsted, CGIAR, World Food Prize Laureate (tbc)
- SDG5, Ms. Runa Ray, KelpTex / Anoushka Concepcion, Chair, GSC Strategic Advisory Council
- SDG8, Mr. Harrison Charo Karisa, World Bank (tbc)
- SDG14, Ms. Liz Cottier-Cook, Scottish Association for Marine Science – confirmed (virtual)
- SDG17, Ms. Chantal Line Carpentier or Mr. David Vivas Eugui, UNCTAD (virtual) / Mr. Jan Matas, CNRS
- Q & A
- Audience contributions
- The road to UNGA and beyond
- Closing by Moderator
Co-organisers: Republic of France, International Seaweed Association, United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), World Bank, African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, Global Seaweed Coalition, French National Research Center (CNRS), Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), and Aquatic Blue Food Coalition.
Nichola Dyer, Senior Advisor to the Global Seaweed Coalition, brings experience across multilateral institutions and the public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors to her sustainability work.
She has designed and led strategic global initiatives across a wide range of sectors and themes, including seaweed and aquaculture, food systems and food security, governance, and engagement of marginalized and vulnerable groups. Currently, she serves on the Advisory Board of GlobalSeaweed-SUPERSTAR and several other non-profits and chairs an education grant program for women from developing countries.
During 26 years of World Bank Group service, Nichola managed the $1.5b Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, developed greenfield operational engagements on excluded minorities and disability, led the ethics office, and established the Gabon office.
She obtained her MSc in Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Chantal Line Carpentier joined UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)'s Division on International Trade and Commodities (DITC) in 2014, after serving as Chief, UNCTAD New York Office of the Secretary-General. She brings to the Branch over 25 years of work experience in international trade, and environmental and agro-economics.
Prior to working with UNCTAD, she supported the Commission on Sustainable Development and served as Major Groups (of non-State actors) coordinator for the UN Rio+20 Conference and the SDGs negotiations at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). She also supported the sustainable consumption and production and sustainable agriculture negotiations.
As Head of the North American Free Trade Agreement Commission for Environmental Cooperations, she lead work on the nexus of environment, economy, and trade. She also served as Agro-environmental Policy Analyst for Winrock International, and post-Doctoral fellow/Brazil office manager for the International Food Policy Research Institute.
She has an extensive list of publications on sustainable agriculture, trade and environment, sustainable consumption and production, financing for sustainable development, stakeholder engagement, global value chains, micro, small and medium enterprises, and economic empowerment of women.
She obtained a PhD. in Agro-Environmental Economics from Virginia Technology and MSc. and BSc. from McGill University.
