It’s my privilege to meet the French President’s two Special Envoys for the ocean in Shanghai at the same time! 2 Years ago, I proudly introduced Ambassador Ashok Adicéam how WWF contributed to more than half of the points in the joint declaration between China and France 2024, named “from Kunming to Nice”. Last year at ISA Session 30, Ambassador Olivier Poivre d’Arvor and I both regarded it necessary to encourage major powers to lead multilateralism.
This time, I learned more about the Mission Neptune, which aspires to explore the vast ocean, about which human only has little knowledge. NGOs and high leadership, like the special envoys, should, from different perspectives, encourage governments to invest more in ocean science. It will serve high-seas and deep-sea conservation. This will be the crucial evidence for humans, through all international conventions and domestic actions, to decide on the ways of sustainable use of marine resources.
(I tried my best to explain things in French, with preparation. However, half of the conversation was still in English… for the sake of efficiency)
