Oceans, a world conference to save them
From today until June 13, the third United Nations Conference on the Ocean is being held in Nice, co-chaired by France and Costa Rica. One of the objectives is the adoption of the Treaty on the High Seas (known by the acronym Bbnj), which aims to protect 30% of the areas outside national jurisdiction, putting a stop to overfishing and other impactful practices. The conference is considered a crucial event towards a turning point in the sustainable global governance of the seas, which cover 70% of the planet's surface . "The ocean is threatened by an unprecedented crisis, due to climate change, plastic pollution, the loss of ecosystems and the overexploitation of resources", is the alarm of Li Junhua , secretary general of the UN Conference. "We hope that the summit will inspire unprecedented momentum, innovative partnerships and, possibly, healthy competition". It is no coincidence that the conference is being held in Nice, on the Mediterranean. In fact, our seas are warming 20% faster than the global average .
The absence of the US delegation could undermine the success of the summit on the French Riviera. The US, in fact, covers 10% of the ocean surface. Donald Trump, after leaving the Paris Agreement on climate, announced last April that he would start searching for minerals on the seabed, in defiance of the Global Treaty for the protection of the oceans . The challenge, for French President Emmanuel Macron, is to involve a sufficient number of states and offset the absence of the US. France, with the second largest marine space in the world, is thus aiming for a leadership role in "blue diplomacy" . The negotiations should conclude with a political declaration of intent and the presentation of an action plan. The Nice ocean action plan should align with the biodiversity objectives set with the Kunming-Montreal framework agreement in 2022.
The health of the ocean is vital to the planet and its inhabitants . It produces more than half the oxygen we need and absorbs carbon dioxide, playing a vital role in regulating the climate. More than three billion people depend on the resources provided by marine biodiversity for their survival. But, according to data from the United Nations, more than 60% of habitats are degraded or exploited in an unsustainable way. The Reuters news agency points out that only 8% are occupied by marine protected areas but less than 3% are protected enough to exclude destructive activities such as trawling .
The Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific are experiencing the most severe coral bleaching event, due to rising temperatures and acidification . Healthy fish stocks in the world have gone from 90% in the 1970s to 62% in 2021. The UN summit aims to start negotiations for a new agreement on sustainable fishing. The talks will also focus on how to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 and decarbonize maritime transport. And how to find funding for ocean conservation. Today, of the 17 UN goals for sustainable development, goal 14, “Life below water,” is the least funded .
Plastic pollution, which has been talked about for a long time, shows no signs of abating. Every year, 12 million tons of plastic end up in the sea: the equivalent of a garbage truck every minute . Negotiations for a global treaty to end plastic pollution, after the failure of the Busan summit in North Korea last year, will resume from 5 to 14 August in Geneva. As part of the Our future campaign, WWF Italy has published the document “Beyond plastic: the hidden weight of pollution”, in which it outlines the problem. Of the over 9 billion tons produced so far, a minimal part has been recycled. Plastic represents 80% of the waste dispersed in the marine and coastal environment of the Mediterranean, of which over half is made of single-use objects.
The opening photo is of Iriomote Island, by Hiroko Yoshii on Unsplash .
Vita.it
