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Former President Michel addresses Lloyd’s Foundation Safer World Conference in London.

Former President Michel addresses Lloyd’s Foundation Safer World Conference in London.

“Beyond sustainability, a regenerative blue economy architecture is necessary to ensure the protection and regeneration of the ocean’s ecosystems which are essential to prevent the deterioration by anthropogenic activities such as overfishing and overexploitation of marine resources” Former President Michel told delegates at the opening of Safer World Conference in London, yesterday. This, he says, will ensure the livelihoods of millions of people.

Mr. Michel was delivering the Keynote address at the invitation of London-based Lloyd’s Register Foundation. The two-day hybrid conference brings together thought leaders from research, academia, businesses and government to discuss oceanic safety challenges, sustainability ocean issues and new approaches needed to create a safer world.  

Speaking about world peace and the need to work together for a safer world, Mr. Michel said that unless there is peace, there will be no future. And where resources are being used to finance wars, they should instead be used to alleviate poverty, to regenerate the oceans, and reduce the impacts of climate change.  He advised delegates that we should look at the ocean as the biggest global asset to recover the values that offers the best hope for peace in the world. ‘It offers what is perhaps a last chance to assert our basic values and aspirations. It is rich in resources and potentially accessible to all nations. If we act responsibly, it can feed us, provide energy and other resources, and enable a new communion with nature. The world can no longer afford to marginalize this essential lifeline Mr. Michel remarked.

He presented respect for the rule of law, the need to plan coastal infrastructure carefully, the principle of sustainability, a regenerative blue economy architecture and an underlying sense of fairness as the global values that are essential if the Blue Economy is to achieve its undoubted potential.

NOTE: Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global charity that supports research, innovation and education to make the world a safer place. As 2022 marks the Foundation’s 10th anniversary, it also hosted a special debate on Profit with Purpose as part of the conference to showcase the global impact of its work over the past decade.

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