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Ocean talks resume
Greenpeace: UN Ocean Treaty negotiations resume as 30×30 ‘hangs in the balance’.
20 February 2023
Main image: © David Mirzoeff / Greenpeace
Climbers from Greenpeace scaled the Foreign Office in central London yesterday (03 April) to unfurl a banner calling for faster action on ocean protection.
The banner featured a cartoon image of a turtle urging Foreign Secretary David Lammy to stop ‘dallying’ and dive in by tabling UK legislation for the Global Ocean Treaty ahead of a major international summit in June.
Four climbers used telescopic ladders to reach a monumental arch connecting two parts of the historic building in Whitehall, before suspending themselves from four columns and revealing the banner.
The peaceful protest was carefully planned and rehearsed to ensure protestors and members of the public were safe, and that no damage was caused to the building.
The Global Ocean Treaty is a powerful tool to set up a network of ocean sanctuaries, off limits from human activities like industrial fishing and oil drilling that are devastating global marine ecosystems.
The treaty must be signed into law by at least 60 governments for it to become binding.
More than 20 nations have already done so, including France and Spain, and many are racing to ratify ahead of the UN Ocean Conference in June.
Implementing the Treaty as soon as possible would put wind in the sails of the international target of protecting at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030.
Greenpeace was protesting against the glacial pace of action from David Lammy, who has made the nature and the climate emergency a major theme of his tenure.
The Foreign Secretary used one of his first major speeches to promise that ‘action on the climate and nature crisis will be central to all that the Foreign Office does’ and that he was ‘completely committed’ to ratifying the Treaty.
According to new research by Greenpeace, Foreign Office ministers have mentioned nature or ocean conservation in speeches and press releases at least 83 times since the start of this government – accounting for roughly one in every 10 communications.
Despite this, and having 12 members of staff working primarily on global ocean protection, the legislation seems to be stuck in the doldrums.
None of the department’s five ministers is currently assigned to the oceans portfolio.
‘The ocean is home to so many spectacular marine creatures, but sadly David Lammy has taken inspiration from the sea snail to pass the Global Ocean Treaty into UK law. The Foreign Secretary and his staff love to talk about the importance of nature and ocean protection, yet this historic global agreement appears to be floundering. So we stopped by his office to deliver a message: stop dallying and get your flippers on!
‘Unless the government lifts the anchor fast, it risks the embarrassment of not being able to shape key decisions at the first ‘conference of the parties’ of the Treaty. The UK has been a leading light by helping this Treaty into existence and through the Blue Belt Programme. It must now ratify quickly and build global support for protecting wildlife hotspots, such as the Sargasso Sea.’
ERICA FINNIE
Oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK
Greenpeace warned there are not enough parliamentary sitting days left to pass the primary and secondary legislation needed to meet the previous government’s target of ratifying the Treaty before the UN Ocean Conference in June.
In order to avoid the embarrassment of lagging further behind, Greenpeace is urging the government to begin the process of tabling UK legislation as soon as possible.
The Treaty, agreed at the UN two years ago, is one of the greatest conservation victories in history and was achieved after over a decade of negotiations.
It provides a legal framework to create ocean sanctuaries on the high seas – the two-thirds of the world’s ocean that lie beyond the coastal areas of each nation. Less than 1% of these waters are currently protected.
Industrial fishing vessels collectively spent almost 8.5 million hours fishing on the high seas in 2022, devastating fish populations and ocean ecosystems.
A network of sanctuaries could create safe havens for marine life and habitats as well as helping to build the planet’s resilience to climate change. They would also support billions of people who rely on the oceans for their food and livelihoods.
Greenpeace is also calling for the UK to work with the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda and other nations to champion one of the world’s first high seas sanctuaries in the Sargasso Sea.
This stunning ecosystem supports a plethora of iconic wildlife including humpback whales, dolphins and sea turtles.
‘By ratifying the High Seas Treaty we can strengthen our interconnected economies, support the conservation of global migratory species, and safeguard Bermuda’s unique cultural heritage. This partnership will also help protect our local artisanal fishery and ensure that future generations can continue to thrive both on land and at sea. This is an opportunity for both Bermuda and the UK to make history. Will you act to protect our island before this opportunity slips away forever?’
NOELLE YOUNG
A Youth Delegate from Bermuda, which lies in the Sargasso Sea
Ocean protection has strong cross-party support and is popular with the UK public.
Almost 150,000 people have signed a petition calling on David Lammy to ratify the Treaty, while a YouGov poll commissioned by Greenpeace last year found that more than half of respondents think this demands ‘urgent’ action from the government.
Greenpeace: UN Ocean Treaty negotiations resume as 30×30 ‘hangs in the balance’.
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