It is difficult to associate the mighty oceans with the word 'vulnerable'.
After all there are few things as humbling as standing on a beach, facing an immense expanse of blue, watching the waves come crashing down, the sting of the salty spray in your eyes, and your body getting tossed around like around like a twig in the surf.
My own introduction to the world of oceans started with a visit to Kanyakumari where, on a clear day, it is possible to see the three different hues of blue that make the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. The expanse was however too vast to be covered in small fishing boats so we always saw this world through the eyes of great explorers - the books written by David Attenborough, the tele-series by Jacques-Yues Cousteau, and the paintings of Katsushika Hokusai.
So when one of the most respected marine biologists of the world, Silvia Earle, tells us that the oceans are dying, it does sound a bit incredulous, almost unbelievable. Silvia is however familiar with this sort of reaction - she has been observing the oceans for over 80 years now. Her dissertation in 1954 was on brown algae; in 1964 she was part of a pioneering International Indian Ocean Expedition, and has seen first had the transformation being brought about by human interventions by way of commercial fishing, oil-spills, nuclear tests, and global warming.
Perhaps this is the ultimate Tragedy of the Commons where the stakeholders are not just communities that share a resource but entire countries and continents. With support from TED, Silvia launched Mission Blue, for setting up marine protected "hope spots" across the globe. In 2014, less than 3 percent of the oceans were protected, and Mission Blue aimed to bring this to 20 percent by 2020.
Has it worked?
I have not been able to find data on this from the one institution that is supposed to be tracking this issue - the United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (conserve and sustainably use the oceans). Under "Deliverables" it simply states - 'Designation of 30 new Hope Spots by 2020'. The Mission-Blue website however claims that over 44 percent (40 million sq.km) of the Global Ocean is under Hope Spot designation.
It is not clear if the designation of a zone as a Hot Spot leads to its protection under international covenants. There is also no sign of reduction in the quantum of marine products consumed, which stood at 174.6 million tonnes in 2020.
Silvia has spent a lifetime trying to convince the world about the importance of conserving the oceans. If the UN reports are anything to go by, it seems much work remains to be done.
-------------------------------------
LINKS & REFERENCES
https://www.iucn.org/theme/marine-and-polar/our-work/marine-protected-area
https://www.greenfacts.org/en/fisheries/l-2/06-fish-consumption.htm#0
Mission Blue - https://mission-blue.org/
TED Video - My Wish - Protect Our Oceans - https://www.ted.com/talks/sylvia_earle_my_wish_protect_our_oceans?language=en
4 Ways to Get People to Care - https://ideas.ted.com/4-ways-to-get-people-to-care-about-the-ocean/
No comments:
Post a Comment