Protecting the ocean is a global priority. Through its vast biodiversity and ecosystems, the ocean generates oxygen, provides food, and helps protect our coasts from waves, storms and floods. Marine protected areas preserve this biodiversity while creating cultural and economic opportunities for humankind.
The Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) represents an exceptional opportunity for marine protected area (MPA) practitioners from around the world to stand together to protect the world ocean.
Earlier this year IMPAC5 hosts and organisers issued a global call for proposals for marine conservation practitioners, Indigenous leaders, community advocates and more to submit Congress presentation ideas. It’s no surprise that hundreds of people from the global ocean conservation community submitted over 700 proposals to present at IMPAC5.
The September 2022 Congress will be a hybrid event with both in-person and virtual programming that will inspire attendees through creative and engaging sessions focused on five themes and three streams.
The IMPAC5 Secretariat would like to thank all who answered the call for proposals. An international team of proposal reviewers is currently hard at work assessing the proposals to craft a diverse, engaging and action-oriented congress agenda.
The IMPAC5 hosts and organisers would also like to thank the individuals, organisations and governments who helped spread the word about the call and who took the time to submit a proposal. Your ideas and solutions will help bring us together to protect 30 per cent of the world ocean by 2030.
IMPAC5 call for proposals fast facts:
- Over 700 proposals were submitted during the IMPAC5 call for proposals from June – October 2021.
- The proposal submissions are either from or focus on all seven continents, including Antarctica, and originate from 66 countries.
- Over 200 proposals were submitted by Canadian individuals and/or organisations
- Many island nations were also represented in the proposal submissions – from the Dominican Republic to New Zealand to Madagascar.
- Proposals for e-posters, symposiums, knowledge sharing sessions and speed-talks were submitted by both individual and group applicants.
- All aspects of the congress will be informed by five themes and three cross-cutting streams. IMPAC5 themes are:
- Building a global marine protected area network
- Advancing conservation in the blue economy
- Actively managing marine protected areas and human activity
- Conserving biodiversity and addressing the climate crisis
- Connecting ocean, culture and human well-being
- The IMPAC5 streams are:
- Indigenous Peoples Leadership
- The Voice of Young Professionals
- Innovation and Transformational Change
