Washington, DC – Greenpeace USA today delivered a petition to the State Department with over 4.8 million signatures collected globally, including nearly 135,000 thousand from the United States, urging the Biden Administration to support a strong Global Oceans Treaty at the United Nations’ fourth session of the intergovernmental conference on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (IGC4). The meeting will take place March 7-18 at U.N. Headquarters in New York City.
Over 100 governments have committed to the goal of protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. However, they are currently unable to meet this target in the global oceans that are beyond their national jurisdiction. A global oceans treaty is required to achieve the goal.
Greenpeace USA Senior Oceans Campaigner Mallika Talwar, who delivered the petition said:
“Time is running out. We are living in an unprecedented climate and biodiversity emergency marked by extreme weather events, pollution, and the expansion of destructive industrial activities – such as dredging, drilling, and commercial fishing – with our oceans on the frontline. Overfishing, pollution, and climate change threaten the survival of marine species and undermine the ocean’s ability to counter climate change and feed billions of people around the world.
“The Covid 19 pandemic has delayed this meeting for over two years. Under the shadow of the pandemic, the health of the ocean that sustains us has continued to deteriorate and a new threat–industrial deep sea mining–has massively accelerated. Seizing this moment and committing to the 30 by 30 goal to restore ocean health is our best hope to strengthen resilience and protect the livelihoods and food security of billions of people worldwide.
“We need the Biden Administration to listen to the call of over 4.8 million people globally, and the mandate delivered by 135 thousand Americans, who are saying that we need a bold and ambitious global oceans treaty that will deliver the transformative changes needed to address the dual threat of climate and biodiversity crises. There is a real opportunity to demonstrate the U.S.’ global leadership by supporting a strong and binding treaty in March. This opportunity cannot be missed.”
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Photos and video available to download from the Greenpeace media library here.
Contact: Tanya Brooks, Greenpeace USA Senior Communications Specialist, P: 703-342-9226, E: [email protected]
Greenpeace USA
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build
an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
