MADRID, SPAIN – Ocean Conservancy will attend COP25 in Madrid to advance the integration of ocean issues into climate action and the climate negotiations. Ocean Conservancy works with communities and localities along with nonfederal and federal governments to provide resources, tools and expert guidance for ocean-climate action. Our experts will join Ocean Conservancy partners at COP25 to find a home for the ocean in the UNFCCC, to support announcements on international ocean-climate action, and to highlight how U.S. states have assumed the climate leadership mantle in the absence of federal commitments.

Climate change threatens the ocean and the communities that rely on it. This year’s IPCC special report on climate change and the ocean made clear that entire ocean ecosystems and coastal ways of life are at risk if we don’t take ocean-specific climate action now. But for too long the ocean has gone largely overlooked within the U.N. climate change effort. This year’s COP25 organizers are calling it the “Blue COP” because of its expected focus on climate change’s impacts on our ocean as well as the role that the ocean can play in providing climate solutions. Countries must embrace this opportunity to take holistic climate action now.

WHO:

Gwynne Taraska, Director, Climate Program – Gwynne is an expert in international climate policy and has focused on the integration of ocean and climate diplomacy. Twitter: @gwynnetaraska

• Ocean-Climate Leadership at the Blue COP – December 9, 2019 (11:30 – 13:00 GMT +1) at the U.S. Action Climate Center. Leaders will discuss how they are taking ocean-climate action at the national and subnational levels in the absence of federal U.S. leadership.
  • The event will be livestreamed through the U.S. Climate Action Center.
• High-Level Event on Ocean-Climate Action – December 11, 2019 (12:00-13:30 GMT +1) at the Chile Pavilion. International ministerial-level event that will discuss the growing ocean-climate movement, progress at COP25, and the arc toward COP26.

 

Anne Merwin, Senior Director, Conservation Policy and Programs – Anne’s areas of expertise span climate policy, ocean planning, environmental law, conservation and natural resources.

• Ocean-Climate Leadership at the Blue COP – December 9, 2019 (11:30 – 13:00 GMT +1) at the U.S. Action Climate Center. Leaders will discuss how they are taking ocean-climate action at the national and subnational levels in the absence of federal U.S. leadership.
  • The event will be livestreamed through the U.S. Climate Action Center.

 

Anna Zivian, Senior Research Fellow – Anna is a social scientist whose areas of expertise include climate change science and policy, and ocean planning. Twitter: @azivian

• Ocean and Climate Platform – December 2, 2019 (16:30-17:30 GMT +1) at the French Pavilion. A High-level event to launch the Blue COP and showcase the strong commitment of countries such as France and Spain to the ocean and climate nexus.
• Ocean and Climate Platform – December 4, 2019 (16:30-18:00 GMT +1) at the European Union pavilion. At COP25, the Ocean and Climate Platform will release its policy recommendations around four key areas: mitigation, adaptation, science, and sustainable finance.
• Virtual Blue COP25, Ocean Day – December 7-8, 2019 (24 hour event). A 24-hour, around the world event with virtual seminars, interviews, performances, report outs and analysis from COP25 in Madrid.

 

Kalina Browne, Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Fellow – Kalina works on advancing ocean-climate policy. She previously focused on indigenous issues at The Garifuna Heritage Foundation in her home country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Twitter @kalinabrowne

• Virtual Blue COP25, Ocean Day – December 7-8, 2019 (24 hour event). A 24-hour, around the world event with virtual seminars, interviews, performances, report outs and analysis from COP25 in Madrid.

 

 

 

Luis Estévez-Salmerón, Senior Manager, International Government Relations – Luis is an expert on international policy and has vast experience working with Latin American governments as part of the U.S. State Department.

• Scaling Up Ocean Action and Climate Action in a Synergistic Manner Through the Communities of Ocean Action – December 7, 2019 (13:00-14:15 GMT+1) at the Sustainable Development Goals Pavilion. Ocean Conservancy as co-host alongside IMO of the Community of Ocean Action on Marine Litter will be providing an update of the activities of the Community over the last year.
• High-Level Event on Ocean-Climate Action – December 11, 2019 (12:00-13:30 GMT +1) at the Chile Pavilion. International ministerial-level event that will discuss the growing ocean-climate movement, progress at COP25, and the arc toward COP26

WHEN:

Ocean Conservancy experts will attend COP from December 2-14, 2019. Not all of our experts will be in attendance the entire time however; please reach out to the listed Ocean Conservancy contact if you’d like to arrange a time to meet with a specific expert.

WHERE:

IFEMA, Madrid, Spain

MEDIA AVAILABILITY:

Reporters who can’t attend any of the panels but are interested in conducting in-person or phone interviews with Ocean Conservancy experts please contact Cody Sullivan.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +1.202. 280.6273

Twitter: @CodyDRSullivan

###

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit www.oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.