Protecting the high seas and fighting the invasion of plastic. Around thirty heads of state and government promised, Friday, February 11, in Brest (Finistère), around Emmanuel Macron, to do more to protect the oceans, essential for climate regulation and rich in biodiversity, but damaged by human activities. “Today’s mobilization has made it possible to materialize many commitments, new coalitions of private and public actors, of States”, welcomed the French president at the conclusion of the summit. While several important international meetings around the question of the oceans will be held in the course of 2022, “if we give ourselves the means, we can make historic decisions, it has to start today, in Brest”, Hammered Emmanuel Macron. Here’s what to remember from the main announcements of this summit.
Further protect the high seas
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced from Brest the launch of a coalition of the 27 EU member states and 16 other countries to conclude a treaty to protect the high seas, which is not under the jurisdiction of any state. “We are very close but we have to give impetus to conclude it this year”insisted the European leader.
“We have had statements from France, China, the United States, the European Union and developing countries. That’s good, because it secures the negotiations on the treaty”reacted on franceinfo François Chartier, Ocean campaign manager at Greenpeace. “Afterwards, in the content, in the detail, especially in the mechanisms to really protect the high seas, there is a lack of clarity.”
“It remains very vague. We would have liked to have more details. But at least there is this progress.”
François Chartier, ocean specialist at Greenpeaceon franceinfo
The high seas, which begins where the exclusive economic zones of States end, at a maximum of 200 nautical miles from the coast, represent more than 60% of the oceans and almost half of the planet, but have long been ignored. To remedy this, a treaty (nicknamed BBNJ) intended to protect the high seas has been under negotiation since 2018 under the aegis of the UN. Interrupted by the health crisis, negotiations are due to resume in March in New York.
Fight against plastic pollution
Negotiations will continue with a view to signing an international agreement against plastic pollution. On the occasion of the Brest summit, the United States announced that it would join a dozen countries, as well as the whole of the European Union, with a view to negotiations under the auspices of the UN for an international agreement against this form pollution caused by the 8.3 billion tonnes of plastics produced since the 1950s. The launch of these negotiations will be examined at the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly at the end of February.
The French presidency recalled its ambition: to aim for 100%use or recycling of plastic materialsticks and the abandonment of all uses to Disposable. With this objective, Greece, the‘Italy, Colombia, South Korea, the city of Paris and the maritime region of Central Greece have joined the“global commitment to new economy of plastics”, as 500 ifrepresentatives from all over the world, including 250 companies, reported the French presidency.
Thus, pSeveral banks – the European Bank for Reconstruction, the European Investment Bank and the French, German, Italian and Spanish development banks – have pledged to finance the reduction of plastic pollution to the tune of 4 billion euros by 2025.
France, for its part, has set itself the objective of treating its abandoned landfills which litter its coasts within 10 years. Of the fifty identified, Emmanuel Macron cited three which will be dealt with this year: that of Dollemard, in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime), Fouras (Charente-Maritime) and Anse Charpentier (Martinique).
Create more protected areas
The President of French Polynesia, Edouard Fritch, announced on Friday the project of a “marine protected area of more than 500,000 km2” and areas reserved for coastal fishing on an equivalent surface.
More than 30 new countries committed at the One Ocean Summit to join the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People launched in 2021 at the One Planet Summit for biodiversity conservation leading to 84 the number of countries that have the goal of protecting 30% of the world’s land and seas by 2030.
More protected areas therefore, but no statement on the rules in force in these areas, as requested by the experts. “Until now, we have sought quantity, arriving at an astronomical number of marine protected areas. Now we are asking for quality, with truly protected ecosystems”defended in particular with franceinfo Joachim Claudet, researcher at the Center for Island Research and Observatory of the Environment (Criobe).
Fight against overfishing and illegal fishing
Fourteen countries made a commitment, at the One Ocean Summit, to strengthen the fight against illegal fishing. Six of them must ratify this year the agreement of the Cape of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), intended to improve the safety of fishing vessels and to combat illegal fishing. It will thus be able to enter into force, welcomed France.
Of them new countries will also ratify the Port State Measures Agreement of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nationswhich makes it possible to thwart the disembarkation in ports of vessels that practice illegal fishing. Several EU members subsequently “committed to mobilizing their state navy within the framework of overseas missions to reinforce the surveillance of illegal fishing”added the French presidency.
Intensify seabed mapping
Unesco has also committed to mapping at least 80% of the seabed by 2030, compared to 20% currently. In order to achieve this objective, at a cost of five billion euros, three axes are envisaged: the mobilization of a fleet of 50 ships specially dedicated to the mapping of the seabed, the intensification of the use of sonar on ship autonomous and the transmission by governments and companies of the cartographic data at their disposal.
“Knowing the depth and the reliefs of the seabed is essential to understand the location of oceanic faults, the functioning of ocean currents and tides, such as that of sediment transport.”
Unescoin a press release
“These data contribute to protecting populations by anticipating seismic risks and tsunamis, to identifying natural sites that should be safeguarded, to identifying fishery resources for sustainable exploitation, to planning the construction of offshore infrastructure, or even to respond effectively to disasters such as oil spills, air accidents or shipwrecks”continues the UN organization.
Launch a coalition for “blue carbon”
While the ocean has a great capacity to capture the CO2 emitted by our activities and responsible for climate change, particularly through underwater meadows or mangroves, the One Ocean Summit wanted to defend the protection of these ecosystems. France and Colombia have thus launched an international coalition for blue carbon in Brest, to finance their restoration.