Guterres issues a caution: the seabed should not transform into the lawless "Old West" territory.
At the UN Ocean Conference in France, Secretary-General António Guterres dropped a bombshell, dubbing the seabed the "Wild West" and demanding a radical change of course for marine biodiversity. With fish stocks dwindling, Guterres slammed the need for urgent global action to save our marine ecosystems and prevent a planetary meltdown.
António Guterres mobilized against plastic pollution, choking ecosystems and threatening to inundate the seas with waste, eventually overwhelming fish populations. He lamented carbon emissions driving ocean acidification and warming, and he demanded a firm commitment to a global and legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution.
The UN Chief also appealed for an agreement with the World Trade Organization (WTO) on sustainable fishing and highlighted the neglect of SDG 14. To change the tide, Guterres urgently called for more public funds, support from development banks, and innovative means to harness private capital. Despite the grim outlook, he expressed a glimmer of hope, reminding us that when a global moratorium on commercial whaling was established, populations rebounded.**
The week-long summit, kickstarted on Monday and ending June 13, brought global leaders together to weigh solutions for ocean degradation. France and Costa Rica organized the conference to halt the precipitous decline of the oceans, vital for oxygen production and climate regulation.
Panjels covering ten topics stretched throughout the conference, debating issues like plastic pollution and the conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems.
The conference welcomes governments, international organizations, financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, civil society, universities, scientists, indigenous peoples, and local communities. Portugal's participation takes the form of its Prime Minister, Environment Minister, Energy Minister, Agriculture and Sea Minister, and Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Sea, highlighting the Government's commitment to marine conservation and the sustainable blue economy agenda.
A standout event at the conference is the expected presentation of the European Pact for the Oceans by the President of the European Commission. The Pact, a coordinated framework adopted by the European Commission, aims to strengthen ocean policy across the EU, striving to protect and restore ocean health, boost the competitiveness of the sustainable blue economy, and support coastal communities.
**Key areas of action under the European Ocean Pact focus on:
- Protecting and restoring ocean health by supporting marine conservation efforts in EU countries and implementing effective management for Marine Protected Areas.
- Boosting the competitiveness of the sustainable blue economy through industry support and the launch of a Blue Generational Renewal Strategy.
- Empowering coastal and island communities, and outermost regions, through strategies tailored for these regions.
- Enhancing maritime security and defense by fostering European coast guard cooperation and maritime border security.
- Advancing ocean research, knowledge, skills, and innovation by proposing an ambitious EU Ocean Observation Initiative.
- Strengthening EU ocean diplomacy and international ocean governance by combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
The Pact will be bolstered by an “ocean act” by 2027 and tracked through an EU Ocean Pact dashboard. The President of the European Commission, while specific remarks aren’t explicitly detailed, has committed substantial investment, legal reform, and international cooperation to ensure the Pact drives meaningful action.**
"The UN Chief, António Guterres, called for a radical change in marine biodiversity at the UN Ocean Conference in France, citing the seabed as the "Wild West" and the need for urgent action to combat climate change and protect the environment through scientific means.
Guterres emphasized the importance of a global and legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution, which threatens marine ecosystems, and appealed for an agreement with the World Trade Organization (WTO) on sustainable fishing.
During the conference, the expected presentation of the European Pact for the Oceans by the President of the European Commission was a standout event. This Pact, with key areas of action including marine conservation, the sustainable blue economy, coastal communities, ocean research, maritime security, and international ocean governance, is aimed at protecting and restoring ocean health and boosting its competitiveness."
