The existence of our oceans has never been so called into question: due to climate change, they are getting warmer, more acidic and with oxygen levels too low to ensure the normal survival of marine life.
But there are more reasons for the marine degradation we've been seeing. The oceans absorb 30% of the carbon dioxide produced by humans. The impacts of pollution and overfishing are just two items in an endless list that are directly or indirectly linked to human activity.
Almost half of the world's population depends directly on the sea for their livelihood, which translates into an economic impact of activities related to the sea of 1,3 billion euros worldwide. The reasons for placing the oceans as a priority on the political agenda of the European Union could therefore not be clearer.
The attention we are giving to the oceans is increasing, but it is still not enough. The European Union has a duty to remain at the forefront of global efforts to conserve marine biodiversity and address climate change concerns.
The Paris agreement, signed in November 2016, was an important first step towards defining goals to reduce polluting emissions into the atmosphere, but the work cannot stop there. Together, we need to develop a more ambitious agenda and invest more in environmental research.
The European Commission is determined to invest more than €25 billion from the Horizon 2020 program to support this research and reverse ocean erosion trends.
On October 5th and 6th, 2017, the European Union hosted the 4th edition of the Our Ocean Conference in Malta. The result of this conference was unprecedented and demonstrates what we can achieve with a joint effort: 437 tangible and measurable commitments, 7 billion euros in financial commitments and an additional 2,5 million square kilometers of marine protected areas.
From the European Union alone, 36 commitments have emerged that exceed 550 million euros and imply action throughout the world. Together with its Member States and the European Investment Bank, the EU has pledged more than €2,8 billion of investment in defense of our oceans.
Our statistics indicate that, by 2050, we may have 10% of the energy consumed by the European Union produced in the oceans, leveraging the energy produced by the tides and waves, but also the differences in temperature and salinity. This is an important step towards decarbonising our economies and achieving the goals we set ourselves in terms of reducing the emission of gases responsible for the greenhouse effect.
Taking care of ocean life is also taking care of marine ecosystems. That means dealing with the nearly 13 million tons of waste that end up in the oceans every year from rivers, landfills and even sewers. For this reason, the European Commission will launch, by the end of the year, a strategy to combat this pollution and increase the recycling capacity of our Member States.
Without oceans, there is no life! Preserving them is, therefore, our duty. We must be aware that securing the future of planet Earth for generations to come depends on our behavior today as citizens.
Author: Sofia Colares Alves is head of the European Commission Representation in Lisbon
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