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May 14, 2009 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Recorded Remarks, Manado, May 14 – “I am delighted to offer my best wishes to the ministers from around the globe who have gathered in Indonesia for the World Ocean Conference and I applaud Indonesia for hosting this conference which addresses a critical issue that too often the world overlooks. As you know, the health of our planet and the health of our oceans are linked. And today our oceans are under stress from several sources: acidification and over fishing have threatened marine eco-systems; unconstrained development and pollution have damaged coastal regions; global warming has led to rising sea levels and more intense storms. These phenomena all point to the same conclusion. We must do more to protect our oceans and preserve the long term health of our planet and its people. The World Ocean Conference provides an opportunity for representatives from many nations to unite around this common concern and I urge you to make the most of this time together. In just a few months the UN will host its conference on climate change in Copenhagen. It is critical that we lay as much ground work as possible now to ensure a successful outcome in December. At the World Ocean Conference you can help focus the world’s attention on the link between oceans and climate change and advance global efforts to find science based solutions to the problems we face. And we must also remember the human costs of climate change. Coastal communities, especially in developing countries, have been hard hit by the effects of global warming. Many communities rely on marine eco-systems for their livelihoods. Changes to our oceans threaten their ability to provide for their families and make a better life for their children. Meanwhile, rising sea levels threaten the very existence of some communities and powerful storms have dealt devastating blows to developing economies. As we continue our efforts to address climate change we must remember that its effects can be seen not only in melting glaciers and dying coral reefs, but also in damaged homes, falling wages, rising poverty, diminished opportunities, so I urge you to keep the human costs of climate change front and center, both in the conversations in Indonesia and in the months ahead. I wish you all the best for a very successful meeting and I am confident that this conference and the Manado Ocean Declaration will advance our progress and sharpen our thinking on this vital issue and I look forward to further collaborations between our nations to fulfill our sacred responsibility to protect the health of the oceans and the planet we share. Thank you all very much.” For more information about the U.S. Embassy’s activities please visit http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/. ### |
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