26 September 2023, Lisbon, Portugal. PAM participated in the regional workshop in support of the development of the 3rd “World Ocean Assessment of the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, Including Socioeconomic Aspects”. Hon Pedro Roque (Portugal), President of PAM’s 3rd Standing Committee on Dialogue among Civilizations and Human Rights, represented the Assembly.
The event explored sustainability pathways for ocean economies and cross-cutting topics, like equity, gender, and indigenous knowledge.
Addressing the “Cross cutting theme on Gender” panel, Hon. Roque recalled that Climate Change is causing unprecedented challenges, especially in the Euro-Mediterranean Basin, where temperatures rise 20% faster than the global average. The region faces rising sea levels, biodiversity loss, and invasive species, along with threats like the Gulf Stream collapse and extreme weather disasters. He added that these issues disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including women, deepening inequalities.
Hon. Roque shared that PAM, in collaboration with UNEP, is developing a set of guidelines to shape environmental laws in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Given the specific challenges faced by women in the maritime and fisheries industries, Hon. Roque called for more women to participate in Ocean Governance. In that regard, PAM welcomed the recent adoption of the High-Seas Treaty, which considers gender balance in appointments.
PAM is committed to advocating for gender issues in international fora, such as the upcoming International Plastic Treaty negotiations and the COP28.//