As the 16th Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 16) opens in Cali, Colombia, a new Greenpeace report, “In Hotter Water: How the Global Ocean Treaty can boost climate action“, presents compelling evidence of the climate crisis’ disastrous impacts on the ocean and coastal communities, as well as solutions forward.
The report summarises scientific findings over the last five years which raise the alarm about ocean warming, coral bleaching, shifting marine species distributions, sea ice loss, sea level rise and extreme weather events.[1] Also highlighting a recent study, the report warns that the oceans’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide may no longer be able to keep pace with human emissions.[2] All these changes have come at huge cost to the oceans themselves, and with profound consequences for billions of people worldwide.
Avinash Chanchal Kumar, Campaign Manager for Greenpeace South Asia, said:
“We must urgently take action and safeguard our best ally in the fight against climate change. Alongside drastically reducing carbon emissions as a matter of urgency, governments must ratify the Global Ocean Treaty that will allow the creation of large protected areas on the high seas. These would improve the resilience of marine ecosystems to climate change, maintain ocean carbon storage capacity and ultimately benefit us all.”
While the ocean and climate crises are worsening, governments have been dragging their feet on measures to effectively protect the oceans. To this day, less than 1% of the high seas – the largest habitat on Earth, comprising 64% of the world’s ocean – is fully or highly protected from human activities.
Anita Rumeshi Perera, Greenpeace South Asia campaign in Sri Lanka added:
“The ocean supports all life on this planet, and on the eve of the UN Biodiversity Conference we have displayed a giant inflatable octopus mascot at Lotus Tower in Colombo, to engage with the public on ocean conservation benefits. We are now calling on the new President and future government to make the signature and ratification of the Global Ocean Treaty one of their environmental priorities. Whereas climate change, heat waves and floodings now impact everyday lives we must act on straightforward multilateral solutions at hand”.
At the CBD COP 16, Greenpeace will also look to further improve biodiversity funding commitments for developing countries, synergies between biodiversity and climate policies, as well as other ocean and coastal community support priorities.
