Ministerial level talks at the World Ocean Conference are expected to lead to the adoption of the Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD) on Thursday, to urge the United Nations to integrate ocean issues in the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December. Senior officials from 80 developed and developing countries have reached an agreement on the crucial role oceans play in climate change, after two days of intensive talks at the WOC. “In principle, senior officials from all countries at the WOC meeting have agreed on the draft of the MOD,” Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi said Wednesday after opening the Global Ocean Policy Day (GOPD), a side event at the WOC. “Amendments to the MOD are just a matter of ‘wording’” and comprises about 20 points, he said.Freddy said the officials’ meeting had also agreed on the need for adaptation fund...