UN Ocean Conference - a pivotal chance to shore up more sustainable blue economy

AS the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) prepares to convene in Nice, leading marine scientists from across the world are calling on governments to deliver on long-standing commitments to protect fragile deep-sea ecosystems, including seamounts, from the devastation of bottom trawling.

- VISHAL GULATI

Scientists say there are only five years left to achieve the goal of protecting 30 per cent of the ocean. Currently, 8.3 per cent of the ocean is protected, with only three per cent fully protected.

UNOC3, the largest ocean summit ever organised, will bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, international organisations, civil society, the private sector, and academia.

The ocean powers 80 per cent of global trade and supports jobs, food security and climate action. But climate change, pollution and underinvestment threaten its future.

However, the scientific community calls for urgent action to protect the deep from the destruction of bottom trawling.

Awe-inspiring underwater worlds, seamounts act as spawning and nursery grounds, sources of food, places of rest, and waypoints in the open ocean for whales, sharks, and countless other species.

However, experts say bottom trawling continues to destroy these ancient, fragile and vital ecosystems of the deep, permitted by a handful of countries that should instead be taking action to deliver on a United Nations (UN) resolution adopted nearly 20 years ago.

Under a series of UN resolutions, vulnerable marine ecosystems, including seamounts, should be protected from destructive activities.