USM PENANG, 28 April 2023 – Come this July, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) will be hosting, for the first time, the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity (WCMB), a high-level international meeting that focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.

The USM Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) with the strong support from the Penang State Government, has been selected to be the main organising institution for the 6th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2023 (WCMB 2023).

The WCMB 2023 which will be held on the 2-5 July 2023 at Hotel Jen in Georgetown, Penang is expected to gather more than 400 participants from across the globe, consisting mainly of policymakers, scientists, conservationists, industry representatives, and other stakeholders, to discuss current and emerging marine biodiversity issues and identify ways to protect and sustainably manage marine ecosystems and their resources.

The theme for the three-day WCMB 2023 is ‘Marine Biodiversity Challenges in the Anthropocene’ and the host institution is hoping to get the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to officiate the opening of the conference.

On this exciting opportunity, CEMACS Director, Professor Dato’ Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai who will chair the conference, said: “Hosting WCMB 2023 in Penang is a great honour and timely challenge, furthermore it will be held for the first time in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, which coincidentally is situated at the world’s centre of maximum marine biodiversity.”

She added, “With USM CEMACS given the privilege to host this prestigious conference, it is also a testament and recognition to the significant research work in the field of marine biodiversity carried out by my colleagues at CEMACS and USM, in collaboration with other experts in the related field.”

“The conference is also an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas and scientific discoveries, forge new collaborations, and most importantly, encourage the younger generation to be part of the solution for the global marine biodiversity crisis.

“This is in line with our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 14: Life Below Water) as well as celebrating the United Nations' Decade of Ocean Science in delivering the science we need for the ocean we want through marine biodiversity,” Aileen Tan explained further.

This edition of WCMB 2023 will feature five prominent keynote speakers and several symposium sessions from leading scientists and practitioners around the world on the developments, innovations, and discoveries in marine biodiversity.

Some notable keynote speakers include Professor Dr. Mark Costello from Nord University, Norway; Professor Dr. Frank Mueller, Co-chair of Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON); our very own Professor Dr. Zulfigar Yasin, honorary professor at USM CEMACS; Reza Cockrell, co-founder of The Habitat Penang Hill; and Dr. Nicole Yamase, who is the first Pacific Islander and the fourth woman to reach the deepest point in the ocean. 

According to Aileen Tan, for the first time, WCMB will be organised as a “green meeting” where this conference will be implemented with plans to minimise its negative impacts on the environment and promote a positive social impact for the host community.

“These measures will include travelling carbon offset programmes, single-use plastic free conference, as well as local procurement policy.

“We take this opportunity to welcome interested partners and sponsors to support and make this conference a great success, while making it an event to be remembered by all participants around the world.

“Aside from that, through WCMB 2023, we hope to bring Malaysia to the global arena for better visibility and recognition, especially in terms of championing the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity,” she said. 

She added that besides the Penang State Government, the conference also garnered strong support from the International Association for Biological Oceanography (IABO); British High Commission Kuala Lumpur; Embassy of France to Malaysia; and UK Science and Innovation Network; to name a few.

Additional information about the conference is available on the Conference website: https://www.wcmb2023.org/.

Text: Tan Ewe Hoe