Science Diplomacy Community Flash Talks
Postdoctoral fellow Joanna Siekiera is one of twelve young researchers giving flash talks on science diplomacy related issues at S4D4C's final networking meeting.
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Postdoctoral fellow Joanna Siekiera from SDG Bergen at the University of Bergen is one of twelve young, talented researchers to give flash talks at the Horizon 2020 project S4D4C's final networking meeting, taking place in the week of 15 to 19 March.
The flash talk session is on Thursday 18 March, starting at 16:00 (4PM, CET), with Dr Siekiera being on at 17:10-17:15 with a 15 minute Q&A following immediately after her flash talk.
She will speak on the topic of "Water Diplomacy – Understanding the Urgency of Legal Solutions to Ocean Change".
Abstract: There are many shades of contemporary diplomacy, where science diplomacy is one of them and is composed of many different branches, e.g. climate diplomacy and water diplomacy. These help policy-makers provide solutions to current thematic dilemmas, both regionally and globally. Water diplomacy is a relatively new field of interest in both international relations and the foreign policy strategy. Ocean change is one of the biggest threats facing humanity and the environment requiring urgent cooperation between lawmakers and scientists. The direct effects of climate change on islanders, inhabitants of deltaic regions and low-laying coasts, as well as indirectly to all of us, have to be solved at the global level by means of common international law. The current state of law, however, as represented by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is full of legal gaps on current and emerging conditions, such as climate migration, food security, legal statu s of submerging territories, etc. Scientists can contribute with knowledge and tools to provide solutions to the global problem of ocean change. Awareness around ocean change and its consequences is still low among non-directly affected countries. Thus, there is an urgent need to spread knowledge, In this flash talk, I will discuss how international law should look like to be effective to improve awareness and look at the need for further research, analysis and detailed demonstration.
