We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you personalised advertising. To find out more, read our privacy policy and cookie policy

Skip to Content
University of Wollongong Australia. Logo. University of Wollongong Australia. Logo. University of Wollongong Australia. Logo.
  • Search
  • Give
  • Library
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • UOW Global
    • Our global presence
    • UOW in Dubai
    • UOW in Hong Kong
    • UOW in Malaysia
  • Menu
  • Study at UOW

    • Courses
    • Apply
    • Scholarships & grants
    • Accommodation
    • High-school students
    • Non-school leavers
    • Postgraduate students
    • International students
    • Moving to Wollongong
    • Study abroad & exchange
    • Global sport programs
    • Campuses
    Study at UOW
  • Engage

    • Future student
    • Alumni
    • Visit UOW
    • Woolyungah Indigenous Centre
    • Volunteer
    • The Stand Magazine
    • Community Members
    • Grants and funding
    • Give to UOW
    • Visit the Library
    • Key contacts
    • Educators & school teachers
    Engage with us
  • About UOW

    • Welcome
    • Our people
    • Services
    • Contacts
    • What's on
    • Global presence
    • Media Centre
    • Faculties & schools
    • Our vision & strategy
    • Our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Strategy
    • Our reputation & experience
    • Locations, campuses & partners
    See more about UOW
  • Research

    • Our research
    • Researcher support
    • Research impact
    • Partnership & collaboration
    • Graduate Research School
    • Commercial research
    • Global Challenges
    • Media, news & events
    • Find an expert
    • Our people
    See more about research
  • Industry

    • Generator Lab
    • Advantage SME
    • Success stories
    • Industry research engagement
    • Equipment & Labs
    • Funding opportunities
    • Intellectual property
    • Collaboration for business
    • Collaboration for researchers
    • Careers and employability
    See more about Industry
  • Alumni

    • Benefits
    • Outlook Magazine
    • Events & webinars
    • Volunteer
    • Awards
    • Honorary alumni
    • Testamurs & transcripts
    • Update your details
    • Your career journey
    • Contact us & FAQ
    See more about alumni
  • Quick links

    • Contact directory
    • Staff Intranet
    • Campus maps
    • Transport & parking
    • Key dates
    • Events
    • Password management
    • Jobs
    • Accommodation
    • Policy directory
  • Library
You are here More Pages
  • Home
  • About UOW
  • Media Centre
  • 2023
  • World experts gather to discuss strategies for a sustainable and equitable blue economy

Media Quick Links

  • Contact UOW Media
  • Visiting campus
  • Image library
  • UOW key facts
  • Find an expert
  • News Corp subscription
  • Sign up for the latest news from UOW Media

February 27, 2023


  • Story By
  • Benjamin Long
  • Photo By
  • Chris Duczynski
Share
Type
Media Release
Category
Law, Politics and Society
Tags
Innovation CampusConferenceSDG 10: Reduced InequalitiesSDG 12: Responsible consumption and ProductionSDG 13: Climate ActionSDG 14: Life Below Water

UOW in the News

World experts gather to discuss strategies for a sustainable and equitable blue economy

Achieving ocean equity conference to explore innovative, inclusive, sustainable approaches to ocean governance


The University of Wollongong (UOW) will co-host an international conference on the theme ‘Achieving Ocean Equity: Innovative, Fair, Inclusive, and Sustainable Strategies and Blue Impact Investments’ from 27 February to 1 March 2023.

With its great potential to support global growth, a sustainable ocean-based economy is among the top global priorities for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and boosting the long-term development prospects of the blue economy.

However, despite advancing innovation in marine biotechnology, renewable energy, and ocean governance, significant development gaps and inequalities remain.

The three-day conference will discuss these challenges and explore innovative, inclusive, and sustainable policy solutions to advance the development of ocean equity in coastal and Small Island Developing States.

The conference is jointly hosted by UOW’s Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), and the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and will bring together representatives from 18 countries across the Asia Pacific region.

Conference organiser Associate Professor Michelle Voyer from ANCORS said: “This conference will bring together researchers and government officials from throughout the Asia Pacific to share their knowledge and experience of creating fair and equitable approaches to ocean governance. It is an exciting opportunity to focus our shared attention on strategies for addressing ocean challenges in a way that creates benefits for local communities and the people that rely on the ocean for their livelihood and wellbeing.”

ADBI Deputy Head and Senior Economist Capacity Building and Training Department Dr Pitchaya Sirivunnabood said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with ANCORS and OPRI in organising this conference as a part of ADBI’s capacity building and research activities to support developing countries in Asia and the Pacific in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (5, 10, 13, and 14) as well as to complement the implementations of ADB’s Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies.”

OPRI Senior Research Fellow Michael C. Huang said: “We hope the conference will bring interdisciplinary discussion among government, private, and academia and could help stakeholders to identify the blue impact to promote sustainable ocean financing.”

A collage of photos from the Achieving Ocean Equity conference hosted by ANCORS

In his opening remarks, OPRI President Dr Hide Sakaguchi said: “The disparity and misuse of ocean resources by some has created development traps, limiting opportunities for sustainable growth and ocean equity. It is essential to recognise the interconnection between our daily lives and the health of the oceans to support equitable and sustainable ocean governance.”

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Patricia Davidson thanked ADBI and OPRI for supporting the event and welcomed conference guests to Wollongong.

“The health of our oceans is an extremely important topic and is closely linked with the health of people. We rely on healthy oceans to provide us food, clean air, recreation, stress relief and in a rapidly changing world, these needs have never been more pressing,” Professor Davidson said.

“The aim of this conference is to identify the development gaps and inequality that still exists in ocean governance and obstruct our path towards a sustainable ocean-based economy. I hope that the next few days not only shed light on this but also allow us to come up with solutions and innovative and inclusive ideas to overcome this.”

Conference keynote speakers include Professor Yoshitaka Ota from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington; Solomon Islands National University Vice-Chancellor Dr Transform Aqorao; Assistant Professor Prani Sastiono from the Institute of Economics and Social Research, Universitas Indonesia; and Ms Katharine Thoday, Principal Environmental Economist from the Asian Development Bank.

The conference papers are expected to be published in a book.

A group photo of delegates at the Achieving Ocean Equity conference.

Media Contacts for this article

UOW Media Office

You may also be interested in

Squid fishing grew by 68% in just three years, raising fears the industry is out of control
Could the Nationals’ refusal to support a Voice to Parliament derail the referendum?
Locking up kids has serious mental health impacts and contributes to further reoffending
Services & Help
  • Current students
  • Library
  • Information technology
  • Accommodation
  • Security & safety
  • Pool, gym & retail
News, Media & Events
  • Media Centre
  • The Stand
  • Alumni Magazine
  • Research news
  • Events
  • Find an expert
Faculties
  • Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities
  • Business & Law
  • Engineering & Information Sciences
  • Science, Medicine & Health
Administration
  • Graduation
  • Environment
  • Policy directory
  • Learning and teaching
  • Financial Services
  • Access to information
  • Jobs
UOW Entities
  • Innovation Campus
  • UOW College Australia
  • UOW College Hong Kong
  • UOW in Dubai
  • UOW Global Enterprises
  • UOW Malaysia KDU
  • UOW Pulse
Connect with us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Conversation
  • Contact us
  • Feedback
  • Give to UOW

Northfields Ave Wollongong,  NSW 2522  Australia 
Phone: 1300 367 869 
International: +61 2 4221 3218 
Switchboard: +61 2 4221 3555

  • NUW Alliance: Smarter Solutions for NSW
  • University Global Partnership Network (UGPN)
  • Reconciliation Australia
  • AWEI LGBTQ inclusion awards logo

Aboriginal flag Torres Strait Islander flag

On the lands that we study, we walk, and we live, we acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians and cultural knowledge holders of these lands.

Copyright © 2023 University of Wollongong
CRICOS Provider No: 00102E | TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12062 | ABN: 61 060 567 686
Copyright & disclaimer | Privacy & cookie usage | Web Accessibility Statement

Close