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Thursday 1 September 2016

Protecting 30 percent of our oceans

An ambitious, but doable project has been on the tables for some time:
Now is our chance to deliver on the 30% ocean protection target - The Ecologist
A strategy of innovative approaches and recommendations to enhanceimplementation of marine conservation in the next decade - IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 

The science is very clear - and so are the implications:
Overfished and under-protected: Oceans on the brink of collapse - CNN.com

New calls are being made to act:
Protecting 30 Percent of the Ocean Brings Multiple Benefits
Protecting 30 percent of the ocean has many benefits, study suggests - News and events, The University of York

Uniting to Protect 30 Percent of the Ocean by 2030

June 09 2016



Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles © 2005 David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton 

Whether we live near its shores or not, the ocean is all around us: it’s in the air we breathe, in the food we eat, in our rain and rivers. The ocean is the Earth’s circulatory system, performing vital — though often invisible — functions that make our planet habitable. Beyond these life­giving services, the ocean also inspires us. Just imagine how much art, music and poetry evokes the wonder of the ocean. And one of these wonders is the ocean’s incredible ability to regenerate — to endlessly replenish and restore itself. Tragically, this ability is now under severe threat, and we need to get working — and networking — to protect it. 


What's Working? Uniting to Protect 30 Percent of the Ocean by 2030

And Hawaii is where a conference is gathering which could get things moving:
IUCN and National Geographic Society Join Forces for IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016 | IUCN World Conservation Congress

The campaigning group Avaaz have a petition going:

World Leaders: Protect 30% of our Oceans




Our oceans are collapsing, with vast disturbing dead areas reported to be expanding in the Pacific. But hope is also rising, with more ocean protected last year than ever before!

This week could decide whether collapse or conservation wins the race. Scientists say if we conserve 30% of our oceans, that will be enough to regenerate the rest -- and this plan is actually on the table at the powerful World Conservation Congress in 3 days!

Countries with fishing lobbies like Japan are opposing the plan, so it's up to us to bring a massive counterweight of people power. This could be the tipping point for our oceans -- let's send 1 million voices to save them straight into the summit:

Click here to save our oceans

Oceans provide half of the oxygen we breathe, but overfishing, climate change and pollution are killing off our planet’s spring of life. Unless we act now, our greed could lead to the worst mass extinction in 55 million years.

180 governments are about to meet for a vote that could set a global standard to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. This vote isn’t legally binding, but it is the foundation for a mandatory deal.

Last year saw more ocean reserves created than ever before, after massive public campaigning. We know our voices count. Let’s come together now so we don’t push our oceans to their last breath:

Click here to save our oceans
It covers 71% of our planet, is home to thousands of species we haven’t even discovered yet, and it sustains all life on earth. That is the miracle and the wonder of our oceans. It is also so profoundly powerful that it can heal itself from man-made destruction. But only if we give the blue heart of our planet a fighting chance. And that is the gift our community can give if we come together.   


MORE INFORMATION:

Protecting 30 percent of the ocean has many benefits, study suggests (University of York)
https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2016/research/oceans-conservation-fisheries/

Hope Spots: an actionable plan to save the ocean (National Geographic)
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/08/hope-spots-an-actionable-plan-to-save-the-ocean/

Increasing marine protected area coverage for effective marine biodiversity conservation (IUCN)
https://portals.iucn.org/congress/motion/053

Obama creates the largest protected place on the planet, in Hawaii (Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-create-the-largest-protected-place-on-the-planet-off-hawaii/2016/08/25/54ecb632-6aec-11e6-99bf-f0cf3a6449a6_story.html



Avaaz - World Leaders: Protect 30% of our Oceans
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