World Oceans Day - 8 June 2023

Planet Ocean: Tides are changing

Statement by David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Video: [ https://vimeo.com/832451168/1cffb1d1c7] 

Statement: [https://www.cbd.int/doc/speech/2023/sp-2023-06-07-marine-en.pdf]

The Ocean covers the vast majority of the Earth and yet, it has been grossly neglected for far too long. But tides are changing.

The theme of this year’s World Oceans Day reflects an increasing recognition that the ocean is not only part of our home, it makes up the majority of the living space on Earth. It plays a vital role in regulating our climate, feeding our people and nurturing life on Earth.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity at COP 15 in December 2022, aims to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity and, by 2030, put biodiversity on a path to recovery.

Throughout the process to develop the Framework, Parties and stakeholders emphasized the centrality of the ocean.  The ocean is relevant for each of the 23 targets of the Framework and must remain central as we move from Agreement to Action, as we move to Build Back Biodiversity.

It will take urgent action across government and across society to ensure we see tangible results by 2030.

The recently agreed international instrument on marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, due to be formally adopted later this month, will allow us to step up this action across the entire Ocean.

Let us all adopt a mindset that puts the Ocean first, instead of an afterthought. All Governments, businesses and civil society need to take action to actively protect and conserve the precious variety of life within our oceans, much of which we have yet to discover. 

This World Oceans Day, let us all be a part of the changing of the tides -- of creating a sustainable future for all life on Earth.

Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Page: https://www.cbd.int/marine

2030 Targets: https://www.cbd.int/gbf/targets/