A New Paradigm for Our Ocean
Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Tortuga Island, Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador
Earth Law Center is promoting a new paradigm for ocean governance- one that focuses on the Ocean’s own well-being and is guided by principles of sustainability, ecosystem health, precaution and interconnectedness.
June 14th 2017
By Michelle Bender
Ocean Rights Manager, Earth Law Center
The ocean covers over seventy percent of our planet, generates over fifty percent of the oxygen, regulates climate and provides food and jobs for millions of people. It is truly the source of life. Current changes to its systems and cycles spread far beyond the deep onto land, generating concerns for the future.
These concerns were mirrored at the first United Nations Ocean Conference- which brought together governments, stakeholders, businesses, and civil society representatives worldwide to “reverse the decline in the health of our ocean for people, planet and prosperity.” Co-hosted by countries Sweden and Fiji, the Conference took place June 5th through 9th at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Over 6,000 people participated and over 1,300 voluntary commitments [i] to conserve and sustainably use our oceans were made. Issues discussed ranged from overfishing to climate change, to plastic and noise pollution, to deep-sea mining and high seas governance. The coming together to protect and conserve our shared ocean was a truly inspiring and momentous occasion.
Most participants spoke on their work to advance Sustainable Development Goal 14: to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Earth Law Center [ii] (ELC) saw the Ocean Conference as an opportunity to begin building support for a new paradigm for ocean governance- one that focuses on the Ocean’s own well-being and is guided by principles of sustainability, ecosystem health, precaution and interconnectedness. Earth Law Center has a long standing working on ocean and coastal issues, and as a result, has experienced firsthand the need to promote a new way forward.
On behalf of Earth Law Center, Darlene Lee delivered a statement on the Rights of the Ocean at the U.N. Ocean Conference's 7th Plenary Meeting. Statement and Initiative can be found <a target=\"_blank\" href=https://www.earthlawcenter.org/"http://bit.ly/ELCocs/">here.
"},"hSize":null,"floatDir":null,"html":"