Today, Javier Bardem, Jane Fonda, Helen Mirren, and other celebrities renowned for their environmental advocacy joined with the Greenpeace network and several other civil society organizations from around the world to issue an open letter to delegates at the United Nations urging them to adopt a strong Global Ocean Treaty this week.
The letter states: “The need for action is urgent. Governments first discussed a new Treaty almost two decades ago. While they’ve talked, the ocean crisis has deepened. Countless species and habitats have been destroyed or lost.”
The full letter, which lists 47 signatories, was sent as concerns have arisen from some member states and civil society that delegates attending the final round of negotiations on the treaty are not treating them with the urgency that the ocean crisis warrants. A Treaty is required to provide a legal mechanism to create a global network of fully and highly protected ocean sanctuaries on the High Seas. The health of the world’s oceans is threatened by plastic pollution, destructive fishing practices, warming waters, oil spills, and the spread of dead zones.
The negotiations, now in the second and final week, were advanced with a new draft text circulated on Sunday. Despite the inertia, delay and differences between the parties that have plagued the negotiations, this draft might still make it possible to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 – the absolute minimum scientists say is required to give the oceans space to recover.