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New York, United States – In their first week, the UN negotiations for a new Global Ocean Treaty stalled due to a lack of political will. In response, activists marched with Greenpeace USA activists in New York City in front of the United Nations to the Oceans, with representatives from frontline communities addressing the crowd, demanding more urgency to ensure a strong treaty is achieved in 2022.
Shaama Sandooyea, an activist from Mauritius who spoke at the rally, said:
“In Mauritius we are already feeling the effects of the marine crisis. Negotiations are not progressing fast enough and we must act now. Delegates fail to recognize the urgency of the situation and spend hours debating minor issues that were put on hold decades ago. You are failing me, island communities and future generations.”
Saandooyea and other representatives from Nigeria, Mexico, Mauritius and Thailand delivered powerful speeches to the protesters and shared their experiences of the marine crisis already affecting their communities. The lack of commitment from senior ministers in the negotiations has slowed progress, with only one minister from France taking part in the talks so far.
Anta Diouf, a fish processor from Senegal, said:
“I am sad that I cannot participate in the Global Ocean Treaty negotiations because my visa was not processed quickly enough. I would have loved to have attended this meeting to raise the voice of the Senegal processors and communicate to the governments the need to protect the processors' jobs and to ask for better protection of the oceans and our desire to support the project to protect 30% of the world's oceans.”
Arlo Hemphill, Senior Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace USA said:
“The delegates are acting like we still have a decade to talk about this. We are not. Our oceans are running out of time. If we don't get a treaty in 2022, it will be virtually impossible to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. Scientists say this is the bare minimum needed to protect the oceans. Governments must step up their ambition to complete these negotiations by sending ministers into the second week of talks to secure a strong treaty.”
Delegations have wasted hours discussing minor issues, reviving issues already resolved, or repeating old positions, while some Global North delegations refuse to make concessions to meet the needs of the Global South on key justice issues. Some delegations even continue to argue that the main purpose of a marine reserve should not be nature conservation.
The outcome of the two-week meeting will determine the fate of the oceans for generations to come. A strong treaty would pave the way for 2030% of the world's oceans to be protected by 30. A weak contract or no contract at all would make this virtually impossible.
Greenpeace offices have sent letters to governments around the world, urging them to send senior ministers to the second week of talks.
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Photos: Greenpeace
