State Secretary Varteressian’s remarks at a workshop of the Ocean Decade Alliance, in the margins of the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona

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Excellencies,

Members of the Ocean Decade Alliance,

Friends,

I am honoured to be here with you at this Alliance workshop. My prime minister, Mr Støre, a patron of the Ocean Decade Alliance, sends his very best wishes.

We are gathered here to contribute to and strengthen engagement with the Ocean Decade, and to discuss further steps.

Before we do so, I hope that you will indulge me and join me on a small thought experiment.

Imagine that you are standing on a beach, facing the sea. Maybe on one of Spain’s magical beaches – or somewhere else in the world.

No matter where you are, I bet that when you look towards the horizon, you can see the thin line where the surface of the ocean meets the sky.

But what you cannot easily see, is what is happening below the surface.

The consequences of our lack of attention to the ocean’s health are not necessarily visible to the naked eye. In my view, this is one of the reasons why we find ourselves in today’s critical situation.

Friends, while the situation is indeed dire, we are gathered here in Barcelona because we know that we can turn it around.

As individuals, organisations and governments, we have the power to take action.

In this regard, I have three points I want to make this afternoon:

First; Collaboration and sharing of ocean research across sectors and nations is key.

The Decade is a unique opportunity to fill the knowledge gaps,

and – just as importantly – to share our knowledge, and make sure it is used.

And that is why Norway is strongly involved in the Ocean Decade and in the Alliance.

Second; the involvement and the engagement of the private sector is instrumental.

While governmental support and investment into ocean science is indispensable, much of the research capacity, understanding, and knowledge lies in the private sector. The involvement of these actors is therefore key to our success.

In Norway, investment into marine research is high, from both government the private sector.

I am happy to see the broad engagement in the Alliance and private actors giving their support to the work of IOC and the Ocean Decade.

I am also confident that the private sector is willing to support our efforts to      bring SDG 14 away from its current status as the most underfinanced SDG goal.

I have been told that the private sector is underrepresented in endorsed actions.

How can we make engagement in the Ocean Decade easier for these actors?

Are there obstacles for the industry to participate? If so, how can we ensure these obstacles are removed, for the sector to engage?

And how can we make the benefits of participation clear – what’s in it for them?

Third; political will and engagement is crucial.

Ocean science and research, while essential, is not enough.

Our progress is also linked to political will.

To ensure that we can both protect and produce from the ocean, we need to have an integrated and holistic approach to ocean management, that makes possible the co-existence of different uses of the ocean without sacrificing its health.

This needs to be understood politically - not only on a national level, but also on a regional and global level.

That is why Norway and Palau took the initiative to co-chair the Ocean Panel on a Sustainable Ocean Economy.

The Ocean Panel, composed of 18 heads of government, has presented a transformational and bold action agenda.

And the Panel members have committed to sustainably manage 100 percent of our ocean areas by 2025.

The road ahead to the UN Ocean Conference in Nice next year will be crucial for our work for both the Ocean Decade and the high-level Ocean Panel.

We want to make sure that we are working along the same lines and to implement this bold agenda for all coastal and ocean states.

I appreciate and welcome the strong support and collaboration from the IOC and the Ocean Decade Alliance in this very important undertaking.

Based on a Norwegian initiative, the IOC plan to establish an overreaching decade programme for Sustainable Ocean Planning and Management, rooted in the holistic approach.

We hope many of you will support this programme.

In Nice, we will together encourage all other ocean and costal states to do the same by 2030.

I am looking forward to the outcomes of the 2030 vision process that will be taking place the coming days here in Barcelona.

I am confident that the Alliance can play an important role in this endeavour, and I am looking forward to our discussions here today.

Thank you!