What are the four suggestions put forth by the UN for saving the Oceans? Urging the international community to commit and unite around the protection and preservation of the seas, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres outlined four recommendations to ensure that the tide is reversed.
Talking at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, he also underscored the urgent need to invest sustainably in economies that depend on the sea.
OCEAN EMERGENCY
Highlighting that the ocean connects us all, Guterres said that the world faced an “ocean emergency” as the ocean has been taken for granted and that “the tide must be turned”. “Our failure to care for the ocean will have ripple effects across the entire 2030 Agenda,” Mr. Guterres said.
FOUR SUGGESTIONS
- List: “Sustainable ocean management could help the ocean produce as much as six times more food and generate 40 times more renewable energy than it currently does,” the UN Secretary-General said.
2. Replicate ocean success; The secretary General said, “the ocean must become a model on how we can manage the global commons for our greater good; and this means preventing and reducing marine pollution of all kinds, both from land and sea-based sources”. This would entail scaling-up effective area-based conservation measures and integrated coastal zone management.”
3. Protect the people; The UN chief also called for more protection of the oceans and of the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on them, by addressing climate change and investing in climate-resilient coastal infrastructure. “The shipping sector should commit to net zero emissions by 2050, and present credible plans to implement these commitments. And we should invest more in restoring and conserving coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, wetlands, and coral reefs,” Guterres stressed.
Inviting all Member States to joint the initiative recently launched to achieve the goal of full early warning system coverage in the next five years, Guterres said that this would help to reach coastal communities and those whose livelihoods depend on early warning protection measures at sea.
4. More science and innovation; Lastly, Guterres underlined the need for more science and innovation to propel the world into what he called a “new chapter of global ocean action”. “I invite all to join the goal of mapping 80 per cent of the seabed by 2030. I encourage the private sector to join partnerships that support ocean research and sustainable management. And I urge governments to raise their level of ambition for the recovery of ocean health”.
