Common Wadden Sea Secretariat presents Wadden Sea issues at UN Ocean Conference

On 27 June 2022, Bernard Baerends, Executive Secretary of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS), delivered a keynote at the High-Level Symposium on Water at the 2nd UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal. The side event was organised by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action of Portugal together with co-hosts from Argentina, Mozambique and Singapore.

The aim of the symposium, centred around three ministerial roundtables was to contribute towards a new approach between the fresh and saltwater communities, bridging UN Sustainable Development Goals #6 “Clean water and sanitation” and #14 “Life below water”. “Recognising the role of the CWSS in the multilateral cooperation for the management of an unique environment, amidst the river and sea”, as stated in the summons, Baerends was invited to deliver a keynote at the 1st Roundtable on the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation’s experience with wetland resilience, the instruments which are in place and used, and CWSS’ expertise on engaging with stakeholders and other groups.

The results of the Symposium will deliver input to the UN Ocean Conference and will contribute with its outcomes to the UN 2023 Water Conference, which will take place in New York City in spring 2023.