4 December 2010: The Cancun Oceans Day event convened in Cancun, Mexico, on 4 December 2010, organized by the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, in association with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Secretaries of Environment and Natural Resources of the Mexican States of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan, and the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), Mexico, in collaboration with other partners.

Cancun Oceans Day met in parallel to the UN Cancun Climate Change Conference and aimed to review the “building blocks” of a comprehensive strategy on oceans and climate, addressing mitigation, adaptation, financing, and capacity building. This event was the second Oceans Day in the UNFCCC context, and featured more than 20 speakers and panelists. Over 90 participants registered to attend the one-day meeting, including representatives of governments, international organizations, business, academia, and non-governmental organizations. Cancun Oceans Day was part of the Rio Conventions’ Ecosystems and Climate Change Pavilion, organized by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UNFCCC, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Cancun Oceans Day featured: three panel discussions; two special addresses; and three workshops on developing an integrated approach to climate and oceans and preparation for Rio+20. [IISD RS Coverage] [Cancun Oceans Day Website]