Call for Action, 4th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC4)

” Bringing the People and Ocean Together”

The fourth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC4) high-level meeting took place in Valparaiso, Chile, on Saturday, 9 September 2017. was one of the last milestones on the road to conferences on marine conservation before reaching the 2020 deadline for the Aichi Targets. It was  a great opportunity to evaluate and revise our practices in MPA towards achieving Target 11 and to combine the management of MPAs with progress in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources.

Heads of State, Environment Ministers from various countries, IUCN / WCPA authorities and the Marine Protected Areas Agency, among others dignitaries gathered to discuss the outcomes of IMPAC4 and assess the way forward.

In the morning, participants heard keynote addresses from: H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, who said effective MPA management depends on specific criteria for protection; and, Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile, who said joint and coordinated action is required to address the needs of our planet and the message is clear, “it is worth it, and it is possible.”

Participants also heard keynote speeches from: Heraldo Muñoz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chile; Marcelo Mena, Minister of the Environment, Chile; Guido Girardi, Senator and Chairman of the Future Challenges Commission; and, Ségolène Royal, President, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP21 and French Ambassador to the Arctic and Antarctic Poles.

Panel discussions also took place on: the report on the main results and recommendations from IMPAC4; MPAs and ocean conservation as climate action; and, integrating local communities and other key stakeholders in the creation and effective management of MPAs.

The meeting finished with a Call for Action on MPAs, with a number of countries and organizations taking the floor to express their support, including: Argentina; Brazil; Uruguay; Gabon; Peru; France; United Kingdom; the UN Food and Agriculture Organization; UN Development Programme; and, the Transatlantic Partnership of Marine Protected Areas.

The Valparaiso Declaration not only with Aichi’s objective 11 but also with SDG Objective 14 (beyond 2020).

To review the Call for Action document check here.