Don’t miss this seminar with Mr. Serge Segura, Ambassador of France for the Oceans. His talk will be followed by discussant comments by Professor William Cheung, UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and a Q&A with the audience.
November 8, 2018
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
C.K. Choi Building, Room 120
Please RSVP
Abstract: For decades, global oceans were seen as wild areas with infinite resources. Their wellbeing fell out of the gaze of the high tables of global politics. This is no longer the case. Issues such as ocean acidification, plastics pollution, deep sea mining, the survival of global fish supplies and the impact of fish farming, biodiversity protection on the high seas (including LMPAs), and the existence of traditional cultures linked to oceans have reached critical levels. In response to the growing sense of crisis, global oceans are now on the agenda of the UN, the G20, the G7, and countless other initiatives and organizations (including the World Ocean Summit since 2010). In this talk, Ambassador Segura takes stock of international diplomatic activities linked to global oceans so far and delivers his evaluation of where global ocean governance is heading. He also offers insights on French actions related to oceans.
Bio: Serge Segura studied law at the Faculty of Aix en Provence and political science at the Institute of Political Studies of Paris (Sciences Po Paris). He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1980 and held various posts in the Embassy of France in Angola, Spain, Albania, Slovenia, Madagascar and Sweden. From 2012 to 2015 he was Ambassador of France to the Mozambique. In addition to diplomatic assignments abroad, he worked at the Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he specialized in international law of the sea and polar law. In particular, he was Deputy Director of Law of the Sea, River Law and Poles from 2007 to 2012.
Since September 2015, he has served as Ambassador for the Ocean with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Serge SEGURA is the first to hold this function, new in the organization chart of the Ministry. As Ambassador, Serge SEGURA provides expertise to the French ministries regarding the interests of maritime stakeholders (fishermen, scientists, environmentalists, commercial, etc.) and represents France at the highest level in international negotiations. He also advises the French diplomatic representations worldwide that regularly deal with maritime issues.
Partners: SPPGA, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, IES
