17 philanthropic Foundations, including ICRI member Great Barrier Reef Foundation, have launched a joint statement on the occasion of the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, to raise awareness for the need to increase investment in ocean science to support sustainable development.
The Statement was launched during an event celebrating the Ocean Decade during the 2022 UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon by the Foundations Dialogue of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which is an informal, global network of community, corporate and private Foundations that have chosen to work together to support the vision of the Ocean Decade.
The Statement recognizes the central role of the ocean in human health, safety and wellbeing but recognizes that significant gaps remain in ocean knowledge if sustainable development and climate goals are to be met. Via the statement, the group of Foundations that make up the Foundations Dialogue recognize their unique role in supporting the co-design and communication of ocean science, as well as in investing in capacity development including in Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries. The Foundations also highlight the need for the philanthropic community to develop new and innovative partnerships and tools, including blended financing, to meet the investment ambition of the Ocean Decade.
