The GPC Group has joined over 80 nations, private companies and international organizations in declaring its support for the Global Partnership for Oceans (GPO) Declaration at Brazil’s Rio+20 Summit. During her keynote at the event, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development Rachel Kyte lauded the Declarations’ enormous support. “Everyone can see the value in being part of a Partnership that aims to turn around the decline in our oceans,” Kyte said. “Everyone stands to benefit if the oceans are better protected, better managed and better understood for the important ecosystem services they provide.”
Falling on the heels of its involvement as a founding partner of the Tijuca Center for Applied Sustainability (TCAS) in Brazil, the announcement is another push for global environmental sustainability by The GPC Group.
“At our core, we are an information solutions company,” says GPC Group President Mark Sorensen, “but by leveraging our solutions to deliver environmentally sustainable growth in both developed and developing countries, we’ve realized our impact can be more meaningful.”
Lelei LeLaulu, of the Small Island Developing States Climate Change Alliance of the Earth Council and Special Adviser to the World Bank on Oceans, remarked, “To effectively battle the misuse of our oceans’ rapidly dwindling resources, timely and accurate information management is key so GPC’s participation adds enormously to the effectiveness of the Global Partnership For Oceans.”
“An estimated 61% of the world’s total economic wealth generation comes from areas within 100 km of the coastline,” added Raymond Chavez, Senior VP Program Development & Communications, Earth Council Alliance. “GPC’s support of the GPO declaration should help other private sector organizations to recognize the importance of protecting these vital coastal ecosystems.”
The Global Partnership for Oceans, a new and diverse coalition of public, private, civil society, research and multilateral interests working together for healthy and productive oceans, was first announced in February 2012 by World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick at the World Oceans Summit.
Country supporters of the Declaration for Healthy, Productive Oceans to Help Reduce Poverty include: Australia, South Korea, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway and the US Government’s overseas development arm, USAID — all participating as part of their commitment to international sustainable development. Coastal and island nations, including Fiji, Palau, Samoa the Seychelles are also participants in the Partnership, which they see as key to providing coordinated support to their development needs.
National and international civil society organizations like Conservation International, IUCN, Plant-A-Fish, RARE, The Nature Conservancy and WWF as well as specialized groups like Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and ISSF, among many others, are also putting their knowledge and operational capabilities behind the Partnership.
For more information about the Global Partnership for Oceans, visit www.globalpartnershipforoceans.org