Nicolas Lama Represents Earthecho Youth Leaders At One Ocean Summit
This post was first published on EarthEcho International. It is posted here with the permission of the authors.
The One Planet Summit is an annual conference dedicated to the ocean, organised by the President of the French Republic. This year, it took place in Brest, France, on February 9th to 11th, 2022. The “One Ocean Summit” is held in the context of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the support of the United Nations. The goal of the One Ocean Summit is to raise the collective level of ambition of the international community on marine issues and to translate our shared responsibility to the ocean into tangible commitments.
EarthEcho International was founded on the belief that young people have the power to change the world. Every year, their Youth Leadership Council, an international team of young environmental leaders, grows globally. This year, EarthEcho’s Youth Leadership Council member, Nicolas Lama, was invited to attend and share his experience at the One Ocean Summit.
Nicolas Lama is a nineteen year old environmental activist from West Palm Beach, Florida. He’s currently studying at Columbia University in political science and economics with a focus on sustainable development and environmental policy. He plans to pursue a future in law, policymaking, and government in order to be a fierce advocate for our planet.
“This week, I have had the incredible opportunity to represent EarthEcho’s Youth Leadership Council and global youth voices in Brest, France at the inaugural One Ocean Summit, hosted by the government of France.
Throughout three days of workshops and forums, ocean experts, policy makers, and world leaders came together to discuss the actionable solutions we need to address the immense challenges facing our global ocean. From improved ocean governance, to transitions towards the blue economy, to the importance of the global 30×30 ocean goal, the overall message could not be more clear: we do not have any more time to waste, and we must make the tangible commitments we need to protect our ocean planet now.
As one of the youngest people attending the summit, it has been an incredible experience to be able to bring youth representation to this international conference and advocate for the importance of youth empowerment directly to world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Monica Medina, and U.N. Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson. On the final day of the summit, as heads of state from around the world came to Brest to announce their nations’ commitments to the ocean, I had the extraordinary opportunity to speak in front of world leaders at the Parliament’s Forum for the Sea about EarthEcho’s mission and the crucial role youth voices must play in achieving a durable ocean conservation movement.
In all, the One Ocean Summit has truly been an unforgettable experience, and we must continue to advocate for youth engagement and empowerment globally in the decision making process. What a way to kick off 2022, the ‘super year’ for the ocean!”
— Nicolas Lama, Youth Leadership Council
Watch the entire One Ocean Summit recording below.