United Nations
World Oceans Day 2020

8 June, 2020

2020 Theme

Innovation For A Sustainable Ocean

First-Ever Virtual Event

The first-ever fully virtual celebration of United Nations World Oceans Day, on 8 June 2020, highlighted the theme of Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean.

Produced in partnership with the non-profit organization Oceanic Global, more than 350,000 people tuned into the live event from all continents except Antarctica – making the 2020 celebration a truly global event.

2020 World Oceans Day

As the challenges to the ocean continue to grow, so does the need for novel solutions and the people driving them. The day-long 2020 event featured 43 international speakers over seven hours of content. Touching on wide-reaching topics relating to the theme Innovation For A Sustainable Ocean, keynote speeches, panels, and presentations were kicked off by the United Nations Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly, with leading ocean voices featured throughout the day. The event closed with a virtual concert for the ocean featuring global voices such as Mali’s Fatoumata Diawara, Niger’s Bombino, and the UK’s Jess Glynne.

Featured Speakers

Cara Delevingne

Jean-Michel Cousteau

Sylvia Earle

Forbi Perise Eyong Nyosai

Bill McKibben

Ellie Goulding

Gayatri Reksodihardjo-Lilley

Lilly Platt

Schedule

United Nations Opening Remarks

10:00 am

The UN WOD announcement video will kick the event off, featuring voices from around the globe working to protect and preserve our oceans.

H.E. António Guterres

Secretary-General of the United Nations

H.E. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

President of the General Assembly

Ms. Cara Jocelyn Delevingne

Actress, Model & Co-Founder, EcoResolution

The State of our Ocean

10:15 am

This segment will highlight the issue and the link between climate change and our oceans from an ocean solutions perspective. Topics covered will include the solutions to protect and restore the beauty of our oceans and the current state of ocean governance. Additionally, Miguel de Serpa Soares - United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel - will share the current challenges and opportunities in ocean affairs, and the role of the UN System.

Mr. Bill McKibben

Co-Founder, 350

Mr. Paul Hawken

Environmental Author

Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares

Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs & United Nations Legal Counsel

"Spotlight Solutions" for the Ocean

10:45 am

This segment spotlights current projects offering innovative solutions that address the themes of the eight interactive dialogues of the 2020 UN Ocean Conference.

Peter Thomson

United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean

Moderator: Lucy Biggers

Climate and Sustainability Correspondent, NowThis

Francis Zoet

Co-Founder & Director of Operations, The Great Bubble Barrier

Ahmad "Aki" Allahgholi

Founder & Managing Director, Coralive

Olivier Ceberio

COO and Co-Founder, Resolute Marine

Michael Selden

Co-Founder & CEO, Finless Foods

Bigs Eggert & Jossie Jasmin

Sales and Marketing Director of Amun Ini Beach Bigs Eggert

Dirk Rosen

Founder & Executive Director, Marine Applied Research and Exploration

Elisa Morgera

Professor of Global Environmental Law, Strathclyde University Law School & Director, “One Ocean Hub"

Jim Ritterhoff

Executive Director, FORCE BLUE

The Cousteaus: A Multigenerational Conversation on Ocean Exploration

11:40 am

The Cousteaus will provide a multigenerational perspective on our evolving understanding of the ocean across time, highlighting certain innovations in science and exploration that have shaped our relationship with the ocean.