15 June 2012
UNDP Official Notes Needed Outcomes on Oceans and Sustainability
story highlights

Addressing oceans as part of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) is fundamental, asserts Andrew Hudson, Head, Water and Ocean Governance Programme, UNDP.

He highlights that as the fishing industry has become overcapitalized, a key step is to reduce subsidies to non-sustainable fisheries, while respecting and reflecting livelihood needs.

Hudson's interview is part of a UN News Centre series with experts.

13 June 2012: In the first installment of the UN News Centre’s “Seven Issues, Seven Experts” interview series, Andrew Hudson, Head, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Water and Ocean Governance Programme, discusses oceans, invasive species and subsidies. He highlights that the serious challenges facing oceans also threaten economic services.

Addressing oceans as part of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) is fundamental, Hudson asserts. As a specific goal at the Conference, he highlights that as the fishing industry has become overcapitalized, a key step is to reduce subsidies to non-sustainable fisheries, while respecting and reflecting livelihood needs.

Regarding efforts to ensure that oceans are managed in a sustainable way, he underscores the successful work on invasive species, and how the shipping industry – along with the UN, the Global Enviroment Facility (GEF), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), UNDP and others – adopted the global convention on ship ballast water in 2004, and called for specific management and treatment measures to ensure that that ballast water would no longer transport invasive species.

“Seven Issues, Seven Experts” will address each of the key areas identified by the UN ahead of Rio+20 as needing urgent attention: creation of jobs, access to energy, building sustainable cities, ensuring food security and sustainable agriculture, access to water, managements of oceans and disaster readiness. [UN News Centre Interview]

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