Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
On World Ocean Day, ocean governance needs a comprehensive rethink
Jonas Gahr Støre is the Prime Minister of Norway and Surangel S, Whipps, Jr. is the President of Palau.
The ocean today is often associated with turquoise waters, abundant sea life, and pristine beaches. But look below the surface and the outlook is far more dire.
Alarming new ocean records were set in 2021 — greenhouse gas concentrations, sea level rise, ocean heat and ocean acidification all hit their highest levels. The ocean is changing before our eyes, and not for the better.
But there is reason for hope — if we act together. The theme for this year’s World Oceans Day is Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean. It’s time to shift away from the fragmented approaches to ocean governance that consider only one sector’s needs, and move toward collective action that benefits all people who rely on the ocean.
Governments, business and local civil society groups should come together to protect, conserve, and restore our oceans, coasts, and waterways. This collective action can unlock the ocean as source of solutions to both the climate crisis and to sustainable development challenges, like food security, reduced inequalities, and renewable energy.
The ocean has always been a pivotal part of the climate crisis. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it is virtually certain that the global ocean has warmed unabated since 1970 and has taken up more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system.
Climate change is here, now, and it is already affecting the ocean and vulnerable coastal and island communities through more severe and frequent extreme weather events such as hurricanes, typhoons, and flooding.
The ocean does not honor national borders — what happens on one coast will affect coasts and ocean areas many kilometers away. Pollution and mismanagement in one country impacts the resources of another. This is why we must act together to address the issues facing the ocean, from climate change to pollution.
In honor of World Oceans Day, we share our vision for 2030 with you: A world in which ambitious climate action has set the world on track to achieve the Paris Agreement, coastal and ocean states have implemented plans to sustainably manage their national waters, and all actors are united in building a better, more equitable future for generations to come.
Sustainable Ocean Plans are a key tool to achieving this vision — these are strategies countries can implement to ensure the ocean is advancing social, economic and ecological outcomes. Countries’ ocean plans should safeguard ocean resources, attract investment in ocean-based solutions, and create jobs and opportunities for coastal communities.
These plans should be developed and implemented alongside local communities and grassroots organizations, who are not only the most impacted by climate change’s impact on the ocean, but also have local knowledge and connections that lead to more effective solutions.
Public-private partnerships can help advance innovative ocean solutions. For instance, businesses, governments and financial institutions should work with civil society groups to provide both technical and financial assistance to transition to a sustainable blue economy.
Initiatives such as the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (The Ocean Panel) are showing what collective action can achieve. Ocean Panel countries have committed to sustainably manage 100% of their national ocean areas through Sustainable Ocean Plans.
Palau, a member and co-chair of the Ocean Panel, continues to build on its long history of ocean leadership.
We are balancing protection and production to achieve a blue economy that provides durable conservation benefits, food security, and livelihoods for our people. Our Palau Blue Prosperity Plan aims to develop a new generation of sustainable pelagic fisheries. These fisheries will directly support the Palauan people by improving food security and providing new livelihoods.
Norway, another member and co-chair of the Ocean Panel, is working to harness the power of the ocean to provide cleaner energy to Norwegians. We recently launched an ambitious target of developing 30 gigawatts of offshore wind before 2040.
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Norway also plans to reduce emissions from domestic shipping and fishing vessels by half by 2030, and deploy zero- and low-emission solutions for all vessel categories. Already, more than 80 Norwegian coastal ferries — about one-third of the country’s ferries — have batteries installed, which lower emissions.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic the world has been forced to consider where we stand at a pivotal moment. We have an unprecedented opportunity to invest in partnerships that lead to a sustainable ocean economy and healthy ocean where people and planet — the whole blue planet — can prosper.
Our 2030 vision is only eight years away. To achieve it we must — together — act for the ocean, and build a future where effective protection, sustainable production and equitable prosperity go hand-in-hand.
Jonas Gahr Støre is the Prime Minister of Norway
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