blueleaders
Leading the call for a network of highly and fully protected marine areas by 2030.
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THE BLUE LEADERS
The Blue Leaders are an ambitious group of countries calling for urgent action to save the global ocean in the face of the climate crisis, overfishing, pollution, and other threats.
The Blue Leaders are committed to two major goals:
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Securing a new international target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean through a network of highly and fully protected marine areas by 2030.
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The rapid and successful conclusion of a new High Seas Treaty that provides for establishment of fully and highly protected marine areas in the high seas and strengthens management of human activities outside protected areas.
These two actions will give the ocean a fighting chance as we face unprecedented climate and biodiversity crises.
IS YOUR COUNTRY A BLUE LEADER?
The Blue Leaders call is based on the latest science, which unequivocally states that fully and highly protected marine areas deliver the best results for the ocean and are key to maximizing its health and resilience.
The Blue Leaders Declaration, which has been signed by each Blue Leader country, acknowledges that we are witnessing a major biodiversity crisis compounded by the climate crisis.
To address these crises we need urgent transformative actions. Therefore, the Blue Leaders urge fellow Heads of State around the world to join us and seize the opportunities to protect the ocean, the "blue heart" of our planet.
The group of Blue Leaders includes the following countries:
HIGH AND FULL PROTECTION
The science is clear: at least 30% of the global ocean must be protected through a network of "highly" and "fully" protected Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030 to maximize the health and resilience of the global ocean.
But what does "highly" and "fully" protected actually mean?
Highly protected means only light extractive activities, such as subsistence or small-scale fishing with minimal impact, are allowed.
Fully protected means that no extractive or destructive activities are allowed.
JOIN US
Belgium is honored to spearhead the ambitious group of Blue Leaders calling for urgent action to save our global ocean in the face of climate change, overfishing, and other threats.
At the 2021 UNFCCC COP26 Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, Blue Leaders signed The Blue Leaders Call for the Ocean, which lays out the Blue Leaders core ocean protection goals.
If your country would like to join the efforts of the Blue Leaders please contact belgium@theblueleaders.org for more information.
PARTNERS
Belgium is pleased to work with our fellow partners, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Mission Blue. We invite all countries and organizations to join us in securing the future of our global ocean.
