In case you forgot, ECO wants to remind you: the ocean, covering 70 per cent of our planet’s surface, drives global weather systems and the climate, and is the world’s largest long-term store of biological carbon. It is sucking up 20 to 30 per cent of global emissions and absorbing over 90 per cent of human-made heat. We would be cooking without it. But the ocean isn’t just a climate saviour, it is also a climate victim: marine species and ecosystems are suffering from climate change-driven rises in water temperature and from ocean acidification. Coral reef ecosystems, home to about 30 per cent of the oceans biodiversity, are one of the first global ecosystems at risk of being almost wiped out. They face a 70 to 90 per cent loss at 1.5°C global temperature increase.
ECO is surprised that, despite its enormous contribution to life and climate regulation on the planet, the ocean is still considered a side-event of the climate negotiations. The “Blue COP” in Madrid in 2019 was a first step to change that, resulting in the SBSTA holding a first of its kind Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue in 2020.
Now, at COP26, is the time to turn this initial exchange into an annual dialogue that improves coordination of ocean-related discussions already taking place under the UNFCCC, e.g. under the Nairobi Work Programme or the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, and to mainstream oceans further into climate negotiations. Such a dialogue should define concrete measures on ocean-based adaptation, mitigation, and resilience; and help countries and marine and coastal communities to apply these measures and make them count as contributions to the Convention.
The oceans need to be well reflected in the Global Stocktake’s guiding questions and sources of input. ECO thinks it’s time to start counting all blue carbon, from coastal marshes to the deep sea, accelerating the decarbonisation of all shipping, fishing and other marine industries, and ensuring a just transition to a sustainable ecosystem-based management of the global ocean and protection for at least 30 per cent by 2030 to deliver outcomes for climate, biodiversity and people. And it needs to be spelled out that the ocean is part of the solution to limit and adapt to 1.5°C of global warming.
The launch of the Ocean for Climate and Because the Ocean Declarations for COP26 are a good start to highlight the myriad opportunities for Parties to both maximise the ocean’s potential to contribute to help stabilize the climate and enhance effective adaptation. Let’s build on this and have COP26 stating that ocean action is climate action. Learn more at today’s Ocean Day at COP26.