The year of the oceans and biodiversity

The oceans and climate are closely linked and climate change is threatening ocean health. Human activities are accelerating climate change and global warming is causing issues on land and in the sea. In February 2022, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius delivered a press speech addressing this situation. Discussing the impact of the pandemic on the worsening climate situation he said: ‘We all have lost precious time to save our nature, our oceans, and to create more sustainable opportunities for citizens all around the world.’ He highlighted the need for quick action and progression, stating: ‘We must move forward and we must do it fast.’ He also spoke of the progress of the European Green Deal and its potential to extend beyond Europe: ‘We are not only ambitioning to bring changes within the EU, but also to lead by example and steer a global green transition.’ Underlining key focus for 2022, Sinkevičius said: ‘This year must be the year of the oceans. This year must be the year of biodiversity’. It is hoped that the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will be adopted at COP15. ‘We need a Paris moment for biodiversity. This is a top priority for the EU,’ Sinkevičius stated. ‘We want COP15 to be a genuinely transformative moment for biodiversity, and this requires a strong political engagement from all at the highest level.’