After two decades of stop-start negotiations, only a few months remain for WTO members to fulfil their Ministerial Mandate, and SDG target 14.6, of reaching an agreement to end harmful fisheries subsidies by 2020.
This session will showcase views and perspectives from the non-profit, non-governmental sector as represented in the group of over 150 organizations from around the world that have signed onto the Stop Funding Overfishing policy statement. Panelists include sustainable fisheries advocates who will discuss why an ambitious agreement on fisheries subsidies would support fishing communities on the ground/in the water and contribute to protecting the world’s ocean, as well as help WTO Members to rebuild better and reignite confidence in the rules-based trading regime.
Fisheries subsidies negotiations are an opportunity for Members to respond to this global call, and to support the pledges expected by Heads of State and Governments from all over the world at the United Nations General Assembly Biodiversity Summit to protect biodiversity. This session could showcase how WTO Members can take effective action to protect marine biodiversity by reaching a deal to end harmful fisheries subsidies at the WTO.
Key questions:
- What is at stake, for fishers, and for the ocean?
- What are the consequences of failure, for marine resources and the coastal communities that depend on them?
- Why does eliminating harmful fisheries subsidies matter for people and nature?
- How can sustainable fisheries be achieved through an ambitious WTO agreement?
- What must the international community do to ensure a successful outcome in 2020?
Continue the conversation in the dedicated chat on the Beyond Trade Network.
This session will be simultaneously translated into French, Spanish and English (when needed) via the Interactio application, by entering the code GTW2020 (please use headphones). Open the application in your Web browser or download it for iOS Mobile App or for Android App.