2017年CRI UN Ocean Conference calls for sustainable development of oceans

 

The first UN Ocean Conference runs from June 5 to June 9. [Photo: UN Photo/Tsagris]

The first UN Ocean Conference has begun at UN headquarters in New York, calling for actions across the world to save and preserve the world's oceans and ocean resources for future generations. Our reporter Qian Shanming has details from UN headquarters.

Co-chaired by Fiji and Sweden, the five-day UN Ocean Conference aims to reverse the decline in the health of the world's oceans, and urges support for the implementation¹ of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve² and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine³ resources for sustainable development.

On Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the Conference with strong words, saying that the world should shoulder due responsibility to save and preserve the world's oceans for future generations.

"We are here today to turn the tide. We created these problems. With decisive, coordinated⁴ global action, we can solve them."

Guterres said that it was his first major UN conference on ocean as Secretary-General, and he promised that the United Nations and he himself would work to ensure the sustainable development of the world's oceans.

"The United Nations has a critical role to play. We are committed to providing integrated, coordinated support for the implementation of all the historic agreements of the past year, including the Sustainable Development Goal of the Oceans. I am determined⁵ to break down barriers between UN agencies and programmes, to improve performance and accountability."

Guterres said that improving the health of the world's oceans is a test for multilateralism, and urged concerted efforts from all sectors⁶ across the world.

"We need a new strategic vision. I call on all Member States to engage in the dialogue necessary to define a new model for the future governance of our oceans. We must put aside short-term national gain, to prevent long-term global catastrophe⁷. Conserving⁸ our oceans and using them sustainably is preserving life itself."

Peter Thomson, President of the 71st UN General Assembly, hailed the UN Ocean Conference as the best opportunity ever to reverse the cycle of decline that human activity has placed on the Ocean.

"Our task at this conference is to ensure that SDG14 receives the support necessary to meet its critical targets. To do that we need to hear the truth about the state of the Ocean, we need to learn about the difficulties it is facing, and most importantly, and we have to assemble the solutions required to overcome those problems. We are here on behalf of humanity to restore sustainability, balance and respect to our relationship with our primal⁹ mother, the source of all life, the Ocean."

Thomson said that from here on, parties concerned will push on to the maturation of the SDG14 targets of 2020, 2025 and 2030.

The first UN Ocean Conference, which will run from June 5 to June 9, is expected to reach several outcomes, including a concise¹⁰, focused, inter-governmentally agreed "Call for Action", a report containing the co-chairs' summaries of the partnership¹¹ dialogues, and a list of voluntary commitments for the implementation of SGD 14 targets.

For CRI, this is Qian Shanming from the UN headquarters in New York.

1 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

2 conserve   

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

• He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。
• Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

3 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

4 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

8 conserving   

v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Contour planning with or without terracing is effective in conserving both soil and moisture. 顺等高线栽植，无论做或不做梯田对于保持水土都能有效。 来自辞典例句
• Economic savings, consistent with a conserving society and the public philosophy. 经济节约，符合创建节约型社会的公共理念。 来自互联网

9 primal   

adj.原始的；最重要的

参考例句：

• Jealousy is a primal emotion.嫉妒是最原始的情感。
• Money was a primal necessity to them.对于他们，钱是主要的需要。

10 concise   

adj.简洁的，简明的

参考例句：

• The explanation in this dictionary is concise and to the point.这部词典里的释义简明扼要。
• I gave a concise answer about this.我对于此事给了一个简要的答复。

11 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。