Taylor: Ocean future in our hands

THE future of the Pacific Ocean is in the hands of the people who depend on it for their very survival, says Pacific Ocean commissioner Dame Meg Taylor.

While addressing attendees at the Pacific Ocean Alliance meeting in Suva yesterday, Ms Taylor said as a continent with natural capital and as a collective, Pacific people must demand for action to be taken to allow for the sustainability of the seas.

“The future of our ocean continent is well and truly in our hands,” she said.

“The key purpose of this alliance is to advance the forum leaders’ vision under the Framework for a Pacific Oceanscape, which is for a secure future for Pacific Island Countries and territories based on sustainable development, management and conservation of our ocean.”

Ms Taylor said the role of the Pacific Ocean alliance in advancing the vision was critical.

She said it would ensure coherence, co-operation and co-ordination across the multiple sectors and cross-cutting thematic issues that made up and, or impacted the ocean and islands economies, societies and ecosystems.

Ms Taylor said once this was realised, it would enable concerted action for the Pacific as one interconnected ocean and Blue Continent.

“At the conclusion of our meeting let us all ensure that our efforts do not end here, but that we will continue to work hand in hand including in the follow-up and review discussions to support our efforts in key upcoming ocean events,” she added.