UN announced 'Clean Ocean Manifesto': All you need to know

The United Nation’s Clean Ocean International Expert Group (for Ocean Science for Sustainable Development) formally announced on November 19, 2021, a list of objectives and activities needed to be undertaken in order to take conscious steps towards cleaning the oceans. The Clean Ocean International Expert Group is co-chaired by a German biodiversity expert, Angelika Brandt and a deep-sea biodiversity from Mexico, Elva Escobar Briones. It also presented a strategy for the same, and introduced a manifesto named the ‘Clean Ocean Manifesto.’ These announcements were made during a three-day online conference which was held to discuss methods for a better, sustainable future for the oceans. 

What exactly is the UN’s Clean Ocean International Expert Group?

This group includes numerous experts who have vast knowledge about oceans, marine life and marine biodiversity. Through their expertise and knowledge about the oceans, the UN seeks to devise a plan which can be undertaken to improve the situation of the oceans and secure a cleaner future for the same.  

Key points 

During the course of the three-day online conference, the Clean Ocean International Expert Group put forth two primary goals which aim towards achieving UN’s goal of clean oceans. These aims are as follows: - 

Ensuring the reduction of marine debris by 50-90%. 

Enabling global circling and a high-tech system of monitors. 

They also elaborated on the idea of an Ocean Decade, and the opportunities and challenges it can present towards the attainment of clean oceans. In addition, they suggested that this process of working towards clean oceans should appeal to countries and organisations for financial support in order to meet the proposed goals. Hence, it should ideally be an initiative which is supported by all nations in the world. 

 Objectives of the Clean Ocean Manifesto for 2030 

To decrease and gradually eliminate certain top-priority pollutants by 90%. 

To reduce the sources or emissions from where these pollutants are generated to avoid their reoccurrence in the future. 

To further research into how contaminants propagate and how they end up in the oceans. 

To protect coastlines from pollution, and to clean the ones which have been excessively polluted. 

To monitor ocean debris from space.