The ocean, our great ally: Mexico in the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.

The ocean is a region of great diversity, fundamental to life on Earth and a source of livelihood for millions of people. ¹ However, your health is at risk because of pressures such as pollution, overfishing and climate change. ² Therefore, it is urgent to promote and implement actions to effectively protect it and promote the prosperity of communities that depend on ocean resources. ³

According to some estimates, the ocean economy directly contributes more than 1.5 billion dollars a year to the world economy. Recent recommendations reflect that up to six times more sustainable food could be generated from the ocean by 2050. In addition, greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by up to a fifth of those needed to keep the world at bay with the 1.5°C limit, and up to 12 million new jobs could be created by 2030. ⁴

As a result of the above, on December 2, 2020, the global launch of the new ocean action agenda of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, manifested in two documents: “Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy: A Vision for Protection, Production and Prosperity” and the Final Report, “Ocean Solutions that Benefit People, Nature and the Economy”. Both are part of the main recommendations for moving to a sustainable ocean economy and synthesize the latest knowledge, available science and global understanding of the ocean's situation to align economic development with the protection of the ocean's vital natural capital.

The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy emerged in 2018 at the initiative of the Government of Norway, with the formation of a unique group of countries committed to developing, catalyzing and supporting solutions for ocean health and wealth in matters of politics, governance, technology and finance. The Panel is an innovative multilateral mechanism that seeks to promote the transition to a sustainable ocean economy, essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. The goal of the Panel is to develop a new contract between humanity and the seas, through effective protection and sustainable production, that allow for just and equitable prosperity. ⁵

The Panel, co-chaired by Norway and Palau, brings together Heads of Government from 14 countries: Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Palau and Portugal. Together, these countries represent almost 40% of the world's coasts and 30% of the world's Exclusive Economic Zones. The Panel is made up of the Heads of Government and their Sherpas, a group of experts (scientists who will provide data and technical information), a network of advisors (members of companies and civil society) and the World Resources Institute, which serves as the Panel's Secretariat.

The Panel's main commitment consists of the integrated management of 100% of ocean areas under national jurisdiction by 2025, guided by Sustainable Ocean Plans (POS).

POS must always be aligned with the 2030 Agenda, and although their definition is very open, they are considered concrete policy actions and mechanisms that facilitate the sustainable use of the ocean and maximize benefits for creating value for current and future generations. For this reason, their landing and contextualization in Mexico will make these plans take shape and their implementation effective to achieve the established goal.

Our country is currently in a process of consultation with agencies of the Federal Public Administration, members of the group of experts and representatives of Civil Society Organizations related to the topic of sustainable oceans, to develop the program for implementing the Panel's recommendations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further demonstrated how damaged our relationship with nature is ⁶, and to recover, we must take urgent and effective measures that allow us to move towards sustainable, resilient, fairer and more inclusive societies. ⁷ In a world with growing isolationist tendencies, recovering the narrative about the importance of effective multilateralism is essential. The future of the Panel and its results will be closely linked to the capacity demonstrated by all the countries involved to collaborate and together achieve a sustainable ocean economy.