Status: 06/27/2022 10:02 a.m
Litter, overfishing, climate crisis: The state of the oceans is worrying. Experts urgently call for better protection. UN Secretary-General Guterres also called for more speed in the run-up to the Lisbon Ocean Conference.
How the world’s oceans can be better protected and used as sustainably as possible is the subject of the second United Nations Ocean Conference in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon until Friday. Up to 5000 participants are expected – including from politics, science, companies and non-governmental organizations. Oceans around the world are increasingly being affected by litter, overfishing and global warming.
One must act faster, demanded UN Secretary-General António Guterres at a preliminary meeting with young people in Carcavelos, a city on the Portuguese Atlantic coast. Guterres said the world is moving “too slowly” to improve the state of the oceans. It is time to “severely condemn” the way we have been dealing with the oceans. He is scheduled to speak at the Ocean Conference in Lisbon today.
UN Conference Oceans
6/27/2022 10:02 am
Guterres apologized on Twitter – as it was said – “on behalf of his generation”. The ocean was not properly protected. Yesterday he also wrote on the platform: “The ocean can be our greatest ally when it comes to responding to planetary crises such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.”
The world’s oceans cover more than 70 percent of the earth’s surface and are home to over 80 percent of life on the planet. For billions of people they are the basis of work and nutrition. The oceans are also a crucial part of the global climate system. They produce over half of the oxygen we breathe and absorb around a quarter of all CO2 emissions.
Germany plans marine department in the environment ministry
Marine protection helps in the fight against the climate crisis, the pollution crisis and the extinction of species, said Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke. At the start of the conference, she urgently called for better protection of the world’s oceans. It is vital for people to survive that they are healthy. “That’s why we have to move from talking to action and give marine protection much higher priority,” demanded the Green politician in a statement.
If we don’t stop destroying the seas, we will not only endanger wonderful natural resources, but also our own livelihoods.
You have to think more comprehensively and reconcile the protection of the seas and oceans with nature-friendly and environmentally friendly use. Lemke referred to a national strategy that Germany is developing to strengthen marine protection. A separate sub-department for marine protection is currently being set up within the ministry. In addition, the Federal Government’s first Commissioner for the Sea will start work this summer.
Also Russia among the international guests
In addition to Lemke, who is flying to Lisbon on Wednesday evening, former US Secretary of State John Kerry will also attend the meeting. According to the Portuguese government, heads of state and government such as French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson may also want to travel. Irrespective of the Russian war of aggression in the neighboring country, representatives of both Russia and Ukraine have also announced their attendance.
The first UN Ocean Conference took place in New York in 2017. The second, starting today, was originally supposed to take place in April 2020, but was postponed by two years due to the corona pandemic. It is organized by Portugal and Kenya.