The “blue economy”, a global vision for economic growth through the sustainable development of oceans and coasts, is being discussed at the second Blue Economy Summit, in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (19 January 2016). The Summit is deliberating how to build on outcomes of the UN climate change summit (COP 21) and UN Sustainable Development Summit 2015, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 14 (conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development).
IMO’s Juvenal Shiundu informed the Summit on IMO's work to address greenhouse gas emissions from ships as well as the Organization's continued efforts to link its technical cooperation program to the Sustainable Development Goals. The summit is hosted by the Governments of Seychelles and the United Arab Emirates in partnership with the UNESCO-Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.