2,600 marine experts from around the world gathered in Busan to discuss a sustainable future for the oceans. Governments, corporations, and civil society announced 277 marine-related commitments worth $9.1 billion during the 'Our Ocean Conference (OCC)' held in Busan from the 28th for three days.
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on the 30th, the South Korean government announced 76 commitments at this conference. The government plans to expand marine protected areas by 2,000 square kilometers, promote the transition to eco-friendly fuels in the shipping industry, establish sustainable fishing systems, and strengthen equipment management policies.
The host government also created a space to share achievements from the past decade and plan for the future decade during the OOC. By last year, a total of 478 organizations had made 2,618 commitments at the OOC, of which 43% (1,130 commitments) have been completed, and 38% (1,005 commitments) are ongoing. By category, commitments related to marine pollution were the most numerous at 508, while in terms of investment amount ($16.01 billion), climate change responses ($8.66 billion) accounted for the largest portion.
At this OOC, seven key agendas were discussed: ▲ marine protected areas ▲ marine economy ▲ climate change ▲ sustainable fishing ▲ marine pollution ▲ maritime security ▲ marine digital. Various stakeholders including government, institutions, and NGOs broadly discussed responses to protect maritime traffic routes, decarbonize international shipping, eradicate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and address pollution sources such as marine plastics and discarded fishing gear.
At the 10th OOC, the government featured the technologies of domestic shipping and shipbuilding corporations to a global audience and created a space for discussing eco-friendly policies. The 'Shipping and Shipbuilding Business Summit' held on the 29th gathered key figures from international organizations, including the Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the Director General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), along with representatives from various countries and leaders from global corporations to discuss strategies for carbon neutrality in the shipping industry and roadmaps for eco-friendly vessel technology, focusing on a sustainable shipping industry.
At the 'Marine Digital Summit' held on the 30th, solutions to marine issues using digital technology were also discussed. Cases such as the eradication of international illegal fishing through artificial intelligence and satellite data, and big data-based monitoring of marine pollution were shared.
Meanwhile, Kenya was selected as the host for the 11th OOC. This will be the first time the OOC is hosted in an African country. Minister Kang Do-hyung stated at the closing ceremony, "We will support Kenya's hosting of the 11th OOC and continue our journey of international cooperation in the marine sector."
He also said, "We were able to lead the actions of the international community at the 10th OOC, which our country hosted, and we will do our best to continue contributing to creating a sustainable ocean in the future."