Panama prepares to host Our Ocean Conference 2023
True to its commitment to sustainability and conservation, Panama is hosting the eighth edition of the Our Ocean Conference, following the 2022 edition in Palau. World leaders, NGOs, scientists, and conservation experts will convene in March 2023 to propose concrete and measurable commitments aimed at protecting and conserving the world’s oceans.
As the host country, Panama is promoting sustainable fishing practices, preserving marine biodiversity, and inspiring other nations to prioritize the protection of their marine territory. The central American country has already extended protections to at least 30% of its land and sea territory and by creating national parks on land and designating more than 46 marine protected areas, Panama is both ensuring the protection of its ecosystems and conserving carbon sinks that have been vital to its carbon-negative status.
Conservation is also part of Panama’s international agenda and its commitment to multilateral ocean action is exemplified by its leadership within the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR) – a 500,000 km2 marine protected area that joins the territorial waters of Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Costa Rica to protect migration routes for vulnerable and endangered species.
The Our Ocean Conference began as a U.S. Department of State initiative to draw international attention to the serious threats facing the world’s oceans and to commit to concrete action around the globe to support marine conservation and sustainable development. Since the first edition in 2014, they have resulted in more than 1,800 commitments worth nearly $108 billion.