COP 21 turns to the Oceans - Main contents
On Friday, the Climate talks in Paris - COP 21 - turn towards the Sea. The 4th December is Oceans Day. It's called 'planet Earth', but oceans and seas account for 70 percent of its surface, and seawater for 97 percent of its waters. is We know the seas give us food, energy, mobility, medicine and leisure - but that is only half the story. The bulk of what they do for us is invisible, as they regulate our climate, provide us with half of our oxygen and take up a considerable proportion of the car
We need to keep marine ecosystems healthy to combat climate change, but the process of climate change makes that all the more difficult. Warming waters threaten coral reefs and displace species that are sensitive to changes in water temperature, and carbon dioxide acidifies the seas, threatening the long-term viability of marine organisms. The only sure way to break the vicious circle is for Paris to deliver a powerful agreement that tackles the root causes of climate change.
Climate change is not the only problem facing our seas. From over-fishing to eutrophication and pollution, from physical destruction to noise and marine litter, a long list of other pressures requires urgent attention as well. Even if - as we hope - efforts to tackle greenhouse gas emissions are successful, warming and acidifying waters will persist for some time. This makes it all the more important to address all pressures simultaneously. If we don’t, and if current trajectories continue, the result would be at least another 3°C of global warming, with oceans whose acidity would overwhelm coral reefs.
We should not forget that when we allow marine ecosystems to deteriorate, we equally erode the livelihoods of millions of people, from fishermen to tourism operators; we also deprive ourselves of the huge promise of the genetic resources they contain, which is tantamount to destroying the economic future of coastal communities and any prospect of sustainable blue growth.
But we can still invert the trend. It is not too late to get the world on track and limit global warming to less than 2°C. Through a combination of financial support and hard and soft law, the EU is already reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy, reducing energy use and improving resource efficiency. Europe also has robust rules to protect the marine environment, foster the sustainable use of marine resources, and help ensure that oceans continue to play their role in climate action. EU countries now take a more strategic approach to their use of maritime space, and can better predict and manage the cumulative impact of maritime activities on the seas.
And because the seas have the capacity to drive global growth, provided the appropriate checks are in place, within the Union we are working to increase and share our knowledge of our oceans. EU spending on marine and maritime research currently totals two billion euro per year. We are setting up mechanisms for scientists to cooperate better and share more information, and giving better access to maritime information for free to researchers. Our blue growth strategy shows how marine environmental protection can be integrated into economic development. And the Commission is preparing a new initiative on ocean governance for next year.
But the EU is not the only player; on the contrary it is only responsible for a small proportion of the world's seas. If we are to safeguard the vital ecosystem services provided by the seas to human kind, the whole global community needs to come together and make a combined effort towards a strong ocean governance initiative. The ambition should be to change the way traditional industries work and offer a way forward for emerging ones; to set the example for developing countries and emerging economies and to turn the most recent Sustainable Developments Goals into reality.
So a great deal hinges on the Paris climate conference. The EU has a clear commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 from 1990 levels. World leaders need the political courage to act collectively, making Paris a turning point in the global transition towards low-emission, climate-resilient societies worldwide.
It's been said we are the first generation to understand the scale of the threats we face, and the last generation to be able to do something about it. For the first time in history we are facing a threat that concerns all equally, regardless of nation or culture. And we need a plan. If we let climate change mutilate our seas and disfigure the planet, we will all be losers, Europeans included. This week it is not too late to act - but it might be soon.
[1] Le sort de l'océan est entre les mains de l'humanité et le sort de l'humanité est aussi entre les mains de l'océan"
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