This article was originally published on the Ecologist.
“The ocean covers over seventy percent of our planet, generates over fifty percent of the oxygen, regulates climate and provides food and jobs for hundreds of 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 expressed 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 in June this year at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. More than 6,000 people participated and over 1,300 voluntary commitments 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…”
Read on at: the Ecologist.
