The UN Ocean Conference has begun in Nice (France), with the participation of the Kazakh delegation led by the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan E. Nysanbayev.
The delegation also included representatives of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in France, and the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Center.
The main theme of the Conference is “Accelerating Action and Mobilizing All Participants for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Ocean.” The objective of the Conference is to support further and urgent actions to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and identify further ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14.
The Conference brings together stakeholders, including governments, the UN system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions and other interested international bodies, civil society organizations, academic institutions, scientific communities, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, local communities, etc.
The Conference will feature several panel sessions on topics such as mobilizing finance for ocean action in support of SDG 14, promoting sustainable fisheries management, harnessing the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus, strengthening scientific cooperation, knowledge, capacity, marine technology and education, improving the protection and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources, etc.
Special attention will be paid to the ratification of the UN Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. Kazakhstan is exploring the possibility of joining this document.
The event included meetings with Prince Albert II of Monaco (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi), President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan A. Abdukhakimov.
During the meetings, the prospects for cooperation in the field of ecology in the Central Asian region were discussed, and the Minister also invited to take part in the Regional Environmental Summit, which will be held in Astana in 2026.
Following the Conference, the Declaration “Our Ocean, Our Future: Accelerating Action” will be adopted.
The Conference is being held from 9 to 13 June 2025, jointly organized by France and Costa Rica.
The Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan E. Nysanbayev made a report.
In his speech, the Minister focused on cooperation with the UN on environmental protection issues and supporting the UN call for active action to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Goal 14: “Conservation of marine ecosystems and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources.”
The speaker spoke in more detail about the work carried out by Kazakhstan on climate policy: preservation of the Northern Aral Sea, ratification of the Paris Agreement, adoption of the Strategy for achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, formation of new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and holding the Regional Environmental Summit in Kazakhstan in 2026 in partnership with the UN.
Recall that, on the joint initiative of the heads of state of Kazakhstan and France, the first One Water Summit was held in 2024. Within the framework of this Summit, the Head of our State announced the international initiative “Water Towers Partnership” aimed at uniting global scientific centers to protect glaciers – key sources of fresh water for billions of people.
The initiative will be implemented on the basis of the Central Asian Glaciological Center under the auspices of UNESCO in Almaty – the only glaciological center under the auspices of UNESCO in Central Asia.
As part of international cooperation on biodiversity conservation, a meeting was held between the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan Erlan Nysanbayev and the Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Ms. Yvonne Higuero.
The main topic of discussion was the rapid dynamics of the saiga population in Kazakhstan. Minister E. Nysanbayev informed Ms. Igero that, according to the results of the 2025 census, the saiga population reached 3.9 million individuals. Such a sharp increase in numbers has caused a number of socio-economic and environmental challenges, including an exacerbation of the conflict between wildlife and agricultural activities in a number of regions of the country.
The parties discussed possible ways of sustainable management of the saiga population, emphasizing the need for scientifically based and environmentally responsible solutions. Kazakhstan expressed its intention to begin developing mechanisms for regulated and legal use of this natural resource in accordance with international obligations and principles of sustainable development.
At the end of the meeting, E. Nysanbayev invited the CITES Secretary General to visit Kazakhstan. Ms. Higuero accepted the invitation, and the parties agreed to prepare for an official visit in the near future.
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/ecogeo/press/news/details/1014212?lang=ru
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/ecogeo/press/news/details/1015254?lang=ru
Machine Translated by Google