New York – Yesterday, Greenpeace USA launched light projections on the façade of the Millennium Hotel in UN Plaza. This bright, clear statement bringing the voices of the almost 5 million people who supported the call for a Global Ocean Treaty was aimed at delegates from across the world gathered at the United Nations Headquarters for the final round of the intergovernmental conference on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (IGC4) negotiations.
Following a pandemic-induced delay of almost two years, the multilateral body convened the meeting with extremely limited civil society participation, breaking established norms of cooperation and collaboration between the sectors.
Greenpeace USA Senior Oceans Campaigner Arlo Hemphill, who is in New York but attending the meeting remotely due to civil society restrictions, said:
“Our oceans are being pushed to the brink of collapse. As if the climate crisis, pollution, and the expansion of destructive industrial activities like dredging, drilling, and commercial fishing weren’t bad enough, others are actively pursuing a destructive new industry – deep-sea mining– in one of the most important, least understood, and fragile ecosystems on our planet.
“While we are deeply concerned that civil society–which represents the voices of millions of people around the world–has not been included in this final round of negotiations, the threat we face is too urgent and we refuse to stand on the sidelines. By being in NY today, we’re showing world leaders that protecting the ocean is an imperative. Not just for those who rely on the ocean for their lives and livelihoods, but for all of us who depend on its life-sustaining systems. We call on them to commit to a Global Oceans Treaty that will support the protection of at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030 and help us restore ocean health, build resilience and safeguard livelihoods and food security for billions of people worldwide. The doors may be closed but we are still watching.”
###
Contact: Tanya Brooks, Greenpeace USA Senior Communications Specialist, P: 703-342-9226, E: [email protected]
