The following letter, signed by organisations from across the world, addresses climate and environmental ministers from G7 countries ahead of the G7 ministerial meeting on 20th May 2021. If you would like your organisation to be added to the letter please email travis@oceanprotect.org .
Dear Climate and Environment Ministers of the G7,
As you consider the environmental agenda for the G7 Summit, we urge you to listen to the science and make ocean action an integral part of discussions on the climate crisis and biodiversity decline.
Our leaders will not be able to tackle climate breakdown if they do not protect the ocean. This is the clear message from ocean scientists from all G7 countries, as set out in the statement ‘Seven Asks for the G7: Why embracing the ocean is central to tackling climate disruption, supporting human wellbeing, and sustaining a successful recovery from the COVID 19 pandemic’. This same science also tells us what needs to be done. There are clear measures that can and must be taken now to help stop the rapid decline in ocean health and the loss of support it provides. Such measures include the negotiation of a strong and robust High Seas Treaty that is in the best interests of the ocean and humanity and the protection of at least 30% of the whole ocean from destructive industrial and non-industrial activity, by 2030.
A commitment to protecting the ocean should be included in the agenda for the summit and in the ultimate communiqué, as a demonstration that the G7 countries are seriously and effectively ready to take a global lead in preventing and reversing climate breakdown.
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the vital importance of science-led action. It has also shown that global challenges require a global response. We need the same approach to be taken as global leaders discuss how to build back from the crisis and create a healthier and more prosperous world. We need global leaders to take ocean action to protect our planet’s life support system.
We hope that you will champion the ocean at the summit and throughout this critical year to the UNFCCC COP26 in November. Our climate, our planet and all humanity depend on it.
Signed,
#OneLess
Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA)
Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition
Azul
BLOOM
Blue Marine Foundation
Blue Ventures
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
Client Earth
Coastal Partnerships Network
Community of Women Professional Scuba Divers Indonesia (KP3I)
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Deutsche Umwelthilfe
Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC)
Ecology Action Centre
Ecology Africa Foundation
Environmental Justice Foundation
Fauna & Flora International
Finisterre
Fins Attached Marine Research and Conservation
Fundación Meri
Gallifrey Foundation
Global Fishing Watch
Global Ocean Trust
High Seas Alliance
Institute of Fisheries Management
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO)
Mammals encounters Education Research
MarAlliance
Marevivo
Marine CoLAB
Marine Conservation Institute
Marine Conservation Society
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Nature Canada
Ocean & Climate Platform
Ocean Alliance
Ocean Pledge.org
Ocean Unite
Ocean Wise
Ocean. Now!
OceanHub Africa
Oceans North
OceanX
Oceanus
OneOcean Flotilla
OnlyOne
Organización para la Conservación de Cetáceos
Our Fish
Our Shared Seas
ProtectedSeas
Pure Ocean Fund
Sailors for the Sea Japan
Sana Mare
Sciaena
SeaLegacy
Seas At Risk
Sharkproject International
Shark Trust
Surfers Against Sewage
Surfrider Foundation
Sustain
Synchronicity Earth
Thames Estuary Partnership
The Danish Society for Nature Conservation
The Nature Conservancy
The Ocean Project
Turkish Marine Research Foundation
West Coast Environmental Law Association
Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Wildlife Conservation Society
WILDOCEANS
Women4Oceans
World Ocean Day
Zoological Society of London