Tribune. From February 9 to 11, 2022, Brest will host the One Ocean Summit, a summit organized at the initiative of the French government which will bring together heads of state, scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and actors from the economic world in order to strengthen international cooperation. for the protection of the oceans.
In recent decades, progress in marine conservation has not kept pace with the challenges. While climate change threatens all ecosystems, only 2.8% of the surface of the ocean is currently truly protected from the effects of fishing. Deep-sea mining seems imminent, industrial fishing continues to be heavily subsidized by governments, and plastics have become ubiquitous in waters around the globe. Faced with these findings, as NGOs working on the ocean, we expect the One Ocean Summit to make major political announcements that will allow significant progress for the health of the global ocean.
Preserving Antarctica
We want decision-makers to strengthen their commitment to a global goal of protecting at least 30% of marine habitats by 2030, with an emphasis on “strong protection”. Science shows us that strong protection of ecosystems, where any activity harmful to the environment is prohibited, is the only type of protection that systematically has proven ecological benefits, and therefore human benefits that are essential to our well-being.
We also expect the Heads of State gathered in Brest to demonstrate that the implementation of the 30% target by 2030 begins now, in full consultation with users and local communities, and with the appropriate financial resources. We hope that the French government will announce new zones of strong protection, eagerly awaited in the southern lands, in particular in the islands of Saint-Paul and Amsterdam, as well as in French Polynesia. We are also waiting for strong protection projects to be launched in the waters of the Channel, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, where the French delay is glaring.
At the global level, only 1% to 2% of international waters are protected, while they represent 64% of the world ocean. In order to improve the management of these waters, also called “high seas”, the United Nations has undertaken to negotiate an international treaty, which must be finalized during a conference organized from June 27 to 1is July. France and the Heads of State present in Brest must express their full support for the conclusion of a strong, ambitious and legally binding treaty for international waters in 2022.
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