Canada pledges sustainable management of oceans
HALIFAX — Canada and 13 other countries have committed to sustainably manage 100 per cent of the oceans under their jurisdiction by 2025.
The leaders of Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal and Ocean Panel co-chairs Norway and Palau released the Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy: A Vision for Protection, Production and Prosperity.
In a joint news release, the Ocean Panel countries each committed to put a Sustainable Ocean Plan in place by 2025.
They also support a global target to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030, with each country's contribution depending on national circumstances.
In addition to the 100 per cent commitment, the 14 countries achieved consensus on 74 priority actions, which are detailed in the Transformations Report at https://oceanpanel.org/ocean-action/files/transformations-sustainableocean-economy-eng.pdf
The recommendations focus on five critical areas: ocean wealth, ocean health, ocean equity, ocean knowledge and ocean finance.
The Ocean Panel commits to deliver on these actions by 2030 or sooner.
“At a time when we are already looking to recover from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, we understand how vulnerable we are to financial shocks and health crises,” said Tommy Remengesau Jr., president of Palau and Ocean Panel co-chair, in the news release.
“We need the ocean more than ever to drive a sustainable, long-term recovery. The ocean is our past, our present and our future. We do not have to choose between ocean protection and production; we can have both for a healthy, prosperous and equitable tomorrow if we properly manage our impacts upon it.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that since
Canada has the world's longest coastline, its oceans are important to many Canadian communities.
“Canada recognizes that our economy and our well-being are deeply connected with the health of our oceans, and that we have a responsibility to protect them. That is why we are committed to working with our international Ocean Panel leaders, and to developing a comprehensive blue economy strategy.”
Another Ocean Panel-commissioned paper found that including the ocean economy in recovery and stimulus measures — especially with the pandemic's devastating impacts on coastal workers and sectors — would have huge benefits.
The research identifies immediate opportunities for blue stimulus that can create jobs, provide economic relief and push the economy towards resilience and sustainability.
“We need better management and sustainable use of the ocean's resources to foster not only a green, but also a blue recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said António Guterres, SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations in a news release. “I commend all 14 heads of state and government on the Ocean Panel who have agreed that, by 2025, their countries will sustainably manage all the ocean area under their national jurisdictions, guided by Sustainable Ocean Plans.”
The work of the Ocean Panel is also supported by a secretariat based in the World Resources Institute, an Expert Group composed of over 70
leading scientists and experts from 26 countries, and the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for the ocean.
The Ocean Panel also launched the “Give It 100%” campaign to galvanize momentum around the 100 per cent goal.
Beginning Thursday, Ocean Panel countries will host a series of national launch events to build global political will around their commitments.
From Fiji to Mexico, countries will be sharing their country-specific plans, discussing priority actions and exploring what giving it 100 per cent means for their countries, their people and the planet.
You can find out more about the Ocean Panel on Twitter via @OceanPanel and #OceanAction100 and #SustainableOceanEconomy.