This panel explores how the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) can better integrate ocean-based climate action to support a resilient and inclusive ocean economy.
As ocean health, climate resilience, and food security are increasingly interlinked, integrating ocean-based solutions into national climate plans is essential.
UNCTAD will highlight how trade and policy coherence can help build sustainable and resilient blue food systems, particularly for coastal and small island developing states.
The session will foster dialogue on partnerships and finance to scale action at the nexus of climate, oceans, and food systems.
Speakers:
Moderator:
- Ms. Chantal Line Carpentier, Head, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD
Panelists:
- Mr. David Vivas Eugui, Chief of Section a.i., Ocean and Circular Economy Unit, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, UNCTAD
- Ms. Vienna Eleuteri, Initiator and Vice Chair, Water Revolution Foundation
- Mr. Sai Navoti, Chief, Small Island Developing States Unit, Division for Sustainable Development Goals, UNDESA
- Mr. Alexis Aquereburu, Mayor, Aného, Togo
Chantal Line Carpentier joined UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)'s Division on International Trade and Commodities (DITC) in 2014, after serving as Chief, UNCTAD New York Office of the Secretary-General. She brings to the Branch over 25 years of work experience in international trade, and environmental and agro-economics.
Prior to working with UNCTAD, she supported the Commission on Sustainable Development and served as Major Groups (of non-State actors) coordinator for the UN Rio+20 Conference and the SDGs negotiations at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). She also supported the sustainable consumption and production and sustainable agriculture negotiations.
As Head of the North American Free Trade Agreement Commission for Environmental Cooperations, she lead work on the nexus of environment, economy, and trade. She also served as Agro-environmental Policy Analyst for Winrock International, and post-Doctoral fellow/Brazil office manager for the International Food Policy Research Institute.
She has an extensive list of publications on sustainable agriculture, trade and environment, sustainable consumption and production, financing for sustainable development, stakeholder engagement, global value chains, micro, small and medium enterprises, and economic empowerment of women.
She obtained a PhD. in Agro-Environmental Economics from Virginia Technology and MSc. and BSc. from McGill University.
David Vivas Eugui is Chief of Ocean and Circular Economy Unit, a.i., Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, at UNCTAD.
Previously, he was a Senior Economic Affairs Officer in UNCTAD’s Trade Negotiations and Commercial Diplomacy Branch, Deputy Programmes Director at the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Senior Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Attaché for Legal Affairs at the Mission of Venezuela to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Staff Attorney at the Venezuelan Institute of Foreign Trade. David is an international expert with more than 20 years of experience on legal and economic issues.
He has worked as an advisor and consultant for various institutions, international and national organizations and has lectured on intellectual property, trade, oceans economy and environmental law at the University of Strasbourg (CEIPI), Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina), Universidad Javeriana (Colombia), Maastricht University (the Netherlands), WIPO Distant Learning Academy, and University of Business and International Studies (Switzerland).
He holds a JD from the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello, an LLM from Georgetown University and a Master in Transnational Business from the Universidad Externado de Colombia.
Vienna Eleuteri is a Sustainability Scientist and Development Anthropologist specializing in regenerative development across marine and coastal sectors. She has led international projects on sustainable development, food security, climate resilience, and pollution, working with governments and communities to implement adaptive technologies.
Vienna is the founder of the Waterevolution model, a science-based platform to reduce environmental impact and mobilize structural funding for marine conservation. Her work supports implementation of the Paris Agreement and SDGs, with particular focus on ocean-related NDCs.
She serves as Vice-President of the Water Revolution Foundation and Senior Advisor to the CEO of the Saudi Red Sea Authority, helping integrate sustainability into governance frameworks aligned with Vision 2030.
As architect of Ocean Assist, Vienna has developed a pioneering climate contribution model that enables the private sector to directly support ocean regeneration, biodiversity protection, and blue food systems—bridging science, innovation, and policy for a regenerative ocean economy.
