The Sustainable Development Dialogues, an initiative of the Brazilian government, provided civil society with the opportunity to participate directly in the Rio+20 process. The Dialogues were organized according to key issue-areas, including a half-day dialogue on oceans. The Global Ocean Forum played a key role in Dialogue on Oceans, which involved a process of online dialogue among civil society on recommendations for Rio+20, culminating in a live event at Rio+20 held on June 19, 2012, where a 10-member panel of distinguished ocean experts presented their perspectives on the sustainable development of oceans and on the recommendations emanating from the online dialogue. The following recommendations resulted from the Dialogue on Oceans, which were forwarded to the heads of States at the Rio+20 high-level roundtable:
1. Avoid ocean pollution by plastics through education and community collaboration (#1 choice from online voting)
2. Launch a global agreement to save high seas marine biodiversity (#1 choice from June 19 audience voting)
3. Take immediate action to develop a global network of international marine protected areas, while fostering ecosystem based fisheries management, with special consideration for small-scale fishing interests (Recommendation from the 10-member panel on Oceans).
For more information, please visit: Sustainable Development Dialogue Days | IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin