Rebecca Pow has now made two speeches on the Government’s intentions in the marine environment, the first at Coastal Future 2020 and last week at a Greenpeace launch of an animated film. It is ironic that Greenpeace have recently been included on Police anti-terrorist list discovered by the Guardian. In describing 2020 as ‘marine super year’ Minister Pow has directed attention to the major international drivers. These speeches will be useful for policy people but many of our problems are much closer to home – adequate funding for IFCAs and life under continuous cuts to Defra family budgets. Bob Earll
Minister Pow, Defra ‘Time to step up and save our ocean’
In the ‘super year’ for the ocean, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow issues urgent call for global action to halt damage to marine habitats. Environment Minster Rebecca Pow has called for governments around the world to join the UK-led 30by30 initiative to protect at least 30% of the planet’s ocean by 2030. 2020 is a critical year for ocean protection, with the UK government pressing for higher marine protection targets, currently set at 10%, to be agreed as part of a new global biodiversity framework in October 2020. Speaking at the Greenpeace launch later today (15 January) of an animated film depicting endangered marine life, the Minister is expected to say:
Climate change is ocean change. The blue lungs that cover our planet underpin all health and wealth worldwide – yet we’re on track to lose the coral reefs that support over a quarter of marine species. In my lifetime we’ve lost a shocking half the population of our marine species, half our coastal wetlands, and half our Arctic ice, imperilling hundreds of millions of people living less than 10 meters above current sea levels. So those of us who can help must step up to support the ocean to adapt to climate change. Our government is already rolling out nature-based solutions to tackle it, for example our work to maintain and enhance 20,000 hectares of mighty mangroves in Madagascar, Indonesia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. But change requires collective effort. That’s why we’re calling for at least 30% of the world’s ocean to be safeguarded by Marine Protected Areas in the course of this decade.
Supporting the need to raise awareness of the vital importance of increased global marine protection is Sting. The musician and activist is the narrator of a new video launched today on the pressing need for global action on ocean protection, created in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and screened at the Greenpeace event.
#30by30: for the protection of 30% of the ocean by 2030. Evidence shows that the current 10% global biodiversity targets do not provide adequate protection against biodiversity loss. Increasing the breadth of Marine Protected Areas is crucial to mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change – not just on our marine environment, but the entire ecosystem.
Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow, will say:
As Australian bushfires burn and with Amazonian ashes an everyday picture, we are reminded more than ever that we are in this together. We need to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty. That means acting now for our whole ocean – and leaving no one behind. …’
No Comment