Minister D George (Dr): Statement for the French Embassy / Blue Talk event (UNOC 3)

25 February 2025

Good afternoon,

Today, I want to emphasise the critical importance of biodiversity conservation and its profound impact on our economy, in particular the ocean economy. Our oceans, teeming with life, are not only a source of beauty and wonder but also a cornerstone of economic prosperity and resilience.

The priorities of the United Nations Ocean Conference 3 resonate strongly with South Africa's ocean and blue economy and ocean conservation goals. We embrace action to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, and support the three main priorities: working towards completing multilateral processes linked to the ocean to boost ambition for their protection, mobilizing financial resources to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goal 14 and support the development of a sustainable blue economy, and to enhance knowledge dissemination related to marine sciences to enhance policy making.

To address the multifaceted complexities posed by environmental changes it is crucial to leverage the interlinkages between ocean, climate, and biodiversity. Increasing ocean-related scientific and management cooperation, knowledge, capacity building is essential to strengthen the science-policy interface for ocean health. Enhanced collaboration and knowledge sharing among scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders can strengthen informed decision-making and effective management of marine resources.

Science is a critical component of understanding ecosystem processes and the changes being experienced as a result of climate change impacts and other anthropogenic activities. Basic parameters and Essential Ocean Variables are key to being in a position of predicting and responding to climate change impacts through the collection of data over extended periods of time prior, during and after such impacts.

Further to the dynamics of ocean systems, its biodiversity plays an important role in shaping the Blue Economy aspirations of South Africa and all other maritime nations around the world. However, in determining the economic potential of marine ecosystems, a detailed assessment of biodiversity as well as geological factors must be undertaken. The scientific research agenda of South Africa is to systematically determine these natural assets within its Exclusive Economic Zone and to extend this to areas beyond its national jurisdiction and in line with the aspirations of the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction instrument under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

South Africa has a strong leadership in marine science and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment together with partner institutions and academia uses this information to determine its management interventions. South Africa promotes sustainable use of natural resources within its Exclusive Economic Zone (including the offshore territory of the Prince Edward Islands), in the Antarctic as well as the High Seas. Therefore, collaboration with organisations like OceanX and partner countries like France, where we have territory in close proximity in the Southern Ocean, are vital in addressing the understanding of the Earth System in an area not very well understood.

The ocean economy and blue economy are vital components of South Africa's economic landscape, offering significant opportunities for growth, job creation, socio-economic and sustainable development. South Africa's extensive coastline of about 3600 km, rich marine biodiversity, and strategic location make us a key player in the global ocean economy. The sustainable use of ocean resources is particularly important for South Africa. We aim to unlock the economic potential of South Africa's oceans while ensuring the health of marine ecosystems. The country's ocean economy encompasses various sectors, including marine transport and manufacturing, fishing and aquaculture, tourism, and offshore oil and gas exploration. These sectors collectively contribute to the nation's GDP, create employment opportunities, and support local communities.

Biodiversity conservation is essential for maintaining the health and balance of marine ecosystems. Marine Protected Areas is a priority area of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. Marine Protection and Ocean Governance play a pivotal role in this effort. By investing in Marine Protected Areas, South Africa contributes to the global agenda of conserving marine resources and fostering sustainable development.

Marine Protected Areas networks benefit the environment by safeguarding marine biodiversity and ecosystem health, protecting vulnerable habitats and species, and acting as a source of replenishment for surrounding areas, while socially, they can boost local economies through eco-tourism, provide educational opportunities about marine life, and contribute to sustainable fisheries management by preserving fish stocks and promoting healthy populations. In addition, Marine Protected Areas help maintain resilience in ecosystems under stress from climate and global change. Marine Protected Areas help maintain genetic diversity, critical in maintaining the genes for species to adapt to climate and other changes. South Africa has adopted Marine Protected Areas as a conservation tool for coastal and marine areas since 1964, since then South Africa has steadily increased the number and coverage of its marine conservation estate. The network of 20 marine protected areas declared in 2019 increased protection of South Africa’s mainland Exclusive Economic Zone from 0.4% to 5.4%. South Africa has a network of 41 mainland Marine Protected Areas that protects 87% of the country’s 150 marine ecosystem types, providing critical habitats for local biodiversity and unique ecosystems based on their current positions. South Africa’s offshore territory of the Prince Edward Islands Marine Protected Area adds an additional 10.1% protection which takes the total protected marine area to 15.5%.

Marine Protected Areas offer numerous environmental benefits and contribute to the oceans economy. They provide safe breeding and feeding grounds, aiding in the recovery of endangered species. The spillover effect from Marine Protected Areas ensures that fish and other marine life thrive within protected areas and migrate to surrounding regions, replenishing fish stocks and supporting sustainable fisheries. This, in turn, maintains the balance of marine ecosystems by protecting key predator species and preserving essential ecological processes.

Coastal resilience is another critical aspect of biodiversity conservation. Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as storms, floods, and sea-level rise. Since the beginning of humankind, coasts have been focal areas for human settlement, given the wealth of natural resources they provide, economic opportunities and the beauty and recreational opportunities of the coastal zone. In South Africa, of the total population of 63 million, about 22% live within 20 km of the oceans’ coasts. Recent estimates approximate that 40 % of the South African population live within 60 km of the coast, and coastal settlements are projected to see their populations grow into the future.

As we respond to these complexities, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the environment is finalising the Climate Change Adaptation Response Plan for the coastal environment sector with a focus on increasing the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to the impacts of climate change, through enhancing their adaptive capacity, increasing awareness of coastal communities around the potential impacts of climate change and effective adaptation measures that can be implemented and implementing effective measures for disaster risk reduction and response within coastal communities. This is an important initiative, informed by the science, towards connecting communities, particularly those vulnerable to climate change, to the ocean economy.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasise that by recognizing and harnessing the interconnections between ocean, climate, and biodiversity, we can develop integrated strategies that simultaneously promote ocean health, mitigate climate change, and conserve biodiversity. These can in turn support unlocking opportunities in the oceans and blue economy. By aligning its initiatives with the priorities of the United Nations Ocean Conference 3, South Africa can continue to harness the benefits of its marine resources while ensuring their long-term sustainability. This approach not only supports national development goals but also contributes to global efforts to protect and sustainably use the world's oceans.

Thank you for the opportunity to view the magnificent OceanX and I look forward to its joint operation with Agulhas II, our flagship polar research vessel.