The Commission today presents ambitious initiatives to promote cleaner, healthier and safer oceans, as part of the EU contribution to the One Ocean Summit hosted by France in Brest and demonstrating the EU’s leading role in addressing the challenges posed by the oceans.
Addressing the summit, President von der Leyen announced three key co-operation initiatives for the protection and revitalization of the oceans: a new international coalition for the protection of biodiversity on the high seas, which accounts for 95% of the oceans · A major computing project that allows researchers to digitally simulate the planet’s oceans; and the EU research mission to restore our oceans and waters by 2030. The above comes to add to the overall EU contribution presented at by Commissioners Gabriel and Valen and by Commissioner Sinkevitsius, and covers all four parts of the summit.
Speaking at the One Ocean Summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Our mission to protect the oceans must be as great as our shared responsibility. That’s why we came to Brest today to join forces and reverse the situation. Europe, as a naval power, can make a significant contribution to this. However, only together can we strengthen the protection of our oceans and help them regenerate. ”
Protection of marine biodiversity and marine resources
At the summit, President von der Leyen today inaugurated the Highly Ambitious Coalition for Marine Biodiversity in Areas Out of National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). The initiative emphasizes the EU’s role as a leading player in the conservation of the global marine environment. Areas outside national jurisdiction represent 95% of the oceans and their biodiversity provides invaluable ecological and socio-economic benefits to humanity. However, these vast areas are increasingly vulnerable to threats, including pollution, overexploitation and the effects of climate change. The ongoing UN negotiations provide a truly unique opportunity, and the EU is working hard to reach an agreement in 2022. The Coalition brings together those who, like the EU and its Member States, seek an ambitious UN treaty to preserve marine biodiversity in areas outside national jurisdiction.
The EU’s long-term zero tolerance for illegal, unreported and unregulated (Fisheries) fisheries is another cornerstone of the EU’s ambitious policy of sustainable maritime management. RDP fishing poses a serious threat to the planet’s fish stocks, pushing some of them to the brink of collapse. Therefore, since 2010, the EU has implemented a series of measures to prevent, deter and eradicate Fisheries. Under these rules, the EU works with countries around the world to promote the fight against Fisheries and prevent the entry of related products into the EU market. ensure the compliance of its fleet through the legislation applicable to the supervisory authorities of the Member States. The EU not only sets an example, but also provides financial support through regional programs that promote sustainable fisheries.
Fight against marine pollution
Pollution, especially from plastics, is also a major threat to ocean health, both globally and at European level, and the EU is working towards a vision for clean oceans. To tackle plastic pollution, the EU has two key priorities: reducing plastic pollution and speeding up the transition to a circular economy. The Disposable Plastics Directive (SUP), in force since 2021, lays down rules for the phasing out of many plastic objects that often end up as waste and the collection of lost fishing gear at sea. Legislation is a milestone in the elimination of marine litter within the EU. In addition, the EU strongly supports an international agreement on plastics and is working to set up a committee for a global agreement at the UN General Assembly in February. of the current year. This is the only effective, long-term answer to the global problem of marine litter. The EU is also drastically raising public awareness, creating momentum for action against marine litter. Together with the UN and various civil society organizations, the EU is launching #EUBeachCleanup – a global ocean activism campaign that mobilizes tens of thousands of volunteers every year to remove debris from beaches and inland waterways.
An ocean of solutions to climate change
Achieving a neutral carbon balance also means moving to zero-emission maritime transport. The sector is the backbone of world trade and supply chains, but is still based almost entirely on high-carbon fuels. The EU Fuel and Maritime Proposal (Fuel-EU Maritime) introduces a fuel standard that reduces the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions, and the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation aims to provide adequate energy infrastructure in ports, to support the obligation to connect to onshore power sources or to use zero-emission technologies while in port. Extending the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to the maritime sector will put shipping emissions below the general ceiling and send a message through prices to promote carbon offsets. The EU’s ambition does not stop at the Union’s borders, as the EU is leading the negotiations within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with a view to reaching an agreement on the goal of zero-emission shipping by 2050. The ecological orientation of maritime transport is also a priority for EU funding programs, such as the € 1.5 billion already invested by the Connecting Europe Facility and the Europe Horizons program, including through the Waterway Partnership (over € 500 million); . euro).
Governance of the oceans
The EU also puts science and technology at the heart of ocean protection. “Missions” are a new EU approach to tackling major societal challenges, as they provide a critical mass of resources for focused research. The mission “Restoration of our ocean and waters by 2030” aims to ensure that the ocean will play a central role in achieving the goals of the European Green Agreement by 2030. The mission will support major flagship innovation projects aimed at developing and testing solutions to support the protection of 30% of the EU maritime area, the rehabilitation of marine and inland waterway ecosystems, the reduction of plastic waste at sea, the loss of nutrients and the use of chemical pesticides by 50 %, as well as to make the blue economy climatically neutral and circular.
The mission, launched by President von der Leyen during the One Ocean Summit, will also aim to develop a digital platform for the ocean – the European Digital Twin Ocean platform (“The Digital Twin Ocean”) ) – reducing the EU to a digital protagonist of oceanographic research. Based on observations, models and the latest technological developments, the Digital Twin Ocean platform is a computing environment that will allow the evaluation of various scenarios, promoting an understanding of the marine environment and providing knowledge-based data for decision making. The Digital Twin Ocean platform will ensure open and unrestricted access to marine data, fill knowledge gaps and promote the integration of existing forecasting and modeling applications at EU level.
Oceanographic research does not stop there. We also need oceanographic literacy, which will support the development of wider awareness and knowledge and create opportunities for the application of new knowledge in practice. The EU is working to strengthen oceanographic literacy through education and investment in research, and the EU4Ocean coalition is one such example. This bottom-up, inclusive initiative brings together a variety of partners to exchange knowledge and improve oceanographic literacy and sustainable ocean management.
Record
The ocean is vital for present and future generations. With the largest maritime space in the world, the EU is taking responsibility for its protection; as the largest seafood market, it is leading the effort to conserve its resources; and as a large global economy, the EU is seizing the opportunity to develop sustainable and ocean-based circular solutions.
The EU’s conservation efforts are an integral part of the Europe Green Agreement, which aims to build the world’s first carbon-neutral economy by 2050 and halt biodiversity loss.
George Fellidis
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