Partnerships must become the norm, not the exception. This was emphasised at the Ocean Dialogue convened during the inaugural Global Nature Positive Summit (GNPS) held in Sydney, Australia this week. The dialogue brought together First Nations people, representatives from all levels of government, ocean industries, researchers, NGOs, and community members to discuss shared ocean priorities and hear diverse perspectives.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Sefanaia Nawadra, the Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), called for genuine and durable partnerships to address the ocean and environmental challenges faced by the Pacific region.

“We need to reset so that partnership becomes the norm and not the exception. The Pacific has always operated on partnerships because our circumstances don’t allow us to do otherwise. We are small, remote, highly vulnerable to external economic shocks and have fragile land and marine ecosystems. This means we cannot address these issues alone, which is why we have always formed and advocated for strong partnerships, it has served us well” Mr Nawadra said.

He also reflected on the Pacific’s leadership in ocean matters, noting that "fourteen Pacific Island countries,  were the first to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Fiji provided its Ambassador to the UN as  the first Head of the International Seabed Authority and, Fiji co-hosted with Sweden  the first-ever UN Ocean Conference in 2017 leading to the appointment of its Ambassador as the UN Special Envoy on Ocean."

The Ocean Dialogue highlighted on Australia’s Sustainable Ocean Plan, which has recently been open for public comment. The Dialogue program explored sustainable ocean management in both national and global contexts.

Also on the panel was Ms. Tiahni Adamson, the 2024 Young South Australian of the Year and wildlife conservation biologist, who called for more opportunities for young people in the ocean space.

“I really want to see proper investment and training to empower more young people, especially young women, First Nations people, and Pacific communities, who possess a wealth of intergenerational knowledge and have a holistic understanding of country,” Ms. Adamson said.

SPREP through the Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation (PIRT) partnership is coordinating the One Pacific Voice at GNPS providing support to Pacific Island delegations at the summit.

Pacific Islands Fiji, Niue and Guam joined Timor Leste and Singapore and issued Nature Positive Statements outlining their national ambition.

Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Water, Hon. Tanya Plibersek in her closing address said, “nature positive is not a campaign. It is not just a slogan. It represents how we are approaching nature repair – and driving action underpinned by measurement. And importantly we are doing this together”.

The Global Nature Positive Summit 2024 is held from 8 – 10 October in Gadigal Country, Sydney, Australia. Other associated events include the Ocean Dialogue on 10 October and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People workshop on 10-11 October. The Pacific region is represented by Ministers from Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu and Vanuatu’s Special Envoy for Climate and Environment, the Pacific Oceans Commissioner as well as delegations from Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Tonga. Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation (PIRT) members also attended.

For more information on the Global Nature Positive Summit 2024, visit: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/initiatives/nature-summit-2024

For information on Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation, visit: https://www.pacificislandsroundtable.com/