LISBON, 28 June — Marine and coastal ecosystems are the most threatened in the world — a fact that must receive greater attention if Governments are going to successfully reverse pollution trends and restore the health of the world’s oceans, speakers in the third interactive dialogue taking place alongside the 2022 Ocean Conference stressed today, as they focused on solutions.

LISBON, June 28 — An historic World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement to end harmful fishing subsidies set the stage for participants in an interactive dialogue held alongside the 2022 Ocean Conference today to outline long overdue measures that would help small island developing States and least developed coastal nations reap the benefits of the estimated $2.5 trillion marine economy.

Presenting wide-ranging proposals — from restraining the use of the veto to reforming the sanctions regime and the system of drafting resolutions — speakers today told the Security Council that its outdated working methods needed improvement in order to create a transparent, nimble 15-nation organ capable of tackling contemporary global challenges.

Despite some progress in talks towards a framework for elections, briefers warned the Security Council today that Libya remains deeply unstable, mired in leadership uncertainty, continued violence and with women being omitted from political processes.

LISBON, 27 June — Exploring solutions to address marine pollution — from toxic chemical dumping and wastewater runoff to sewage emitted from ageing extractive industries — speakers called for urgent action to be taken even before the adoption of a global legally binding treaty to regulate plastic use, as the international conference on ocean conservation continued into an afternoon interactive dialogue.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

Security Council members today expressed their alarm with the escalating tensions and violence plaguing the occupied Palestinian territories as a top United Nations envoy laid out the troubling trends that are undermining prospects for a peaceful two-State resolution of the conflict.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations today addressed the 2022 Ocean Conference opening ceremony, along with the leaders of the two co-hosting nations, Portugal and Kenya, warning that the world’s failure to care for the ocean will have ripple effects across the entire 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development.

LISBON, 27 June — The ocean must become a model on how to manage the global commons, world leaders heard today as they converged in Lisbon, where the Tagus River and the Atlantic meet, to take stock of multilateral efforts and looming challenges in the protection of the seas of the world.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Judge Graciela Susana Gatti Santana of Uruguay as President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (the Mechanism) for a term commencing on 1 July 2022.  The decision was made after consulting the President of the Security Council and the judges of the Mechanism.