Sustaining Ocean Life: A Call for Holistic Ocean Conservation in Climate Action at COP28
2023 marks the hottest year on record. Our oceans, the world's largest carbon sink, are experiencing unprecedented threats from multiple fronts. Our team is at COP28 to ensure holistic climate policies that include ocean conservation and aquatic animal welfare.
Global Policy Lead, Giulia Malerbi, and Managing Director, Sophika Kostyniuk, at COP28.
Our oceans are experiencing unprecedented sea surface temperatures and record low Antarctic sea ice. The rise in sea surface temperatures, driven by climate change, poses a grave threat to marine ecosystems. The consequences of this warming stretch far beyond the surface, affecting marine life, fisheries, food security, and many coastal communities. Further, industrial overfishing has decimated fish populations and plastics have littered the oceans.
Amidst the urgent call for climate action at COP28, the global forum has overlooked a critical element, which is better protecting the animals that call the oceans their home. Our team is at COP28 to urge policymakers to work towards more inclusive and holistic ocean conservation.
For example, it is disheartening to see that UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water receives less than 1% of climate finance. The need for investment in coastal and ocean conservation and preservation is undeniable, yet it remains an overlooked aspect of global climate strategies.
The trillions of aquatic animals that depend on healthy oceans are also under threat. Fishing remains the last major food-producing sector that does not take animal welfare into account. There is a notable absence of legal protection for the welfare of aquatic animals in the fishing sector, particularly in terms of capture and slaughter methods. This means that the 2-3 trillion aquatic animals caught and killed for human consumption each year are subject to high levels of injuries, stress, and suffering during the fishing process.
Meanwhile, there has been a global push towards shifting to “blue foods” as the sustainable alternative to farmed land animals. The problem with this is that first, not all "blue foods" are sustainable. Blue foods encompass everything from intensively-farmed salmon – associated with disease and CO2 emissions and bottom trawling – associated with seabed destruction, to plant-based foods like algae and regenerative aquatic farming. Therefore, blue foods vary tremendously in their environmental impacts and contributions to food security and livelihoods. It also is highly dependent not only on the species, but also methods of production and locations of production and consumption.
Moreover, extracting animals from the sea not only impacts aquatic life but could also disrupt the ocean's ability to store carbon, further exacerbating climate change. For example, whales can store “huge amounts of CO2 - accumulating an average of 33 tonnes over a 60-year lifespan.” When they die, they then sink to the bottom of the ocean and trap that carbon for hundreds of years.
A blanket policy promoting blue foods (some say “aquatic foods”) does not align with our goals of developing sustainably. It is also not the answer to food security. We currently produce enough food to feed 1.5x the global population, however 35% of that is lost either during food production or from consumer waste.
This COP28 presents a pivotal moment to align global commitments with actionable measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and a major part of that should involve these key considerations:
Ditch the Blanket Policy
Recognize that not all "blue foods" are sustainable. Implement policies that consider the specific needs and vulnerabilities of different aquatic species to ensure their welfare.
Carbon Storage Matters
Acknowledge that extracting animals from the sea might compromise the ocean's ability to store carbon. Implement strategies that balance the extraction of marine resources with preserving the crucial role oceans play in carbon sequestration.
Holistic Ocean Conservation
Integrate animal welfare into ocean conservation efforts. Prioritize ocean conservation that not only focuses on climate resilience but also takes into account the welfare of the animals inhabiting these ecosystems. This includes measures to combat overfishing, reduce pollution, and protect animal welfare.
Sustainable Finance for Blue Nature
Align financial commitments and incentives with sustainable and ethical fishing practices. Scale up investments to 1) Support responsible fishing practices in both small-scale and industrial fishing sectors, 2) Advance technological innovations that support both animal welfare and sustainable fishing, and 3) Restore coastal and ocean natural capital.
Inclusive Climate Strategy
Members of our team are at COP28 this week and next week to speak to this issue and advocate for a more inclusive and effective climate strategy. Our choices over the next two weeks will resonate for decades to come. We hope you can share or support our work, and catch our speaking events here:
Panel: “Doing Blue Foods Right” on Dec. 5 at 11:15 AM (UAE)
Official COP28 Side Event: “Wild Animals in the Carbon Cycle” on Dec. 11 at 11:30 AM (UAE): https://www.youtube.com/@UNClimateChangeEvents/streams