Because the Ocean – Because the Ocean, climate change & ocean initiative, active since COP21: If we want to protect the climate we must protect the ocean & vice-versa.

The Because the
Ocean Initiative

References

The Climate Convention

Art.4.1 (d) of the UNFCCC notes the role of the Ocean as a carbon sink. But there is as yet no ocean work stream exists within the UNFCCC as was proposed in the 1st Because the Ocean declaration, despite growing from within academia, civil society and governments.

The Paris Agreement

In its preamble, the Paris Agreement notes the importance of ensuring the integrity of ocean ecosystems. The Because the Ocean initiative encourages submitting in Nationally Determined Contributions, action to minimize adverse effects on the ocean.

The IPCC

The IPCC has alerted that climate change is severely affecting the ocean (AR5, 1.5º report), and it is preparing – as was proposed in the 1st Because the Ocean declaration of 2015 – a Special Report on the Ocean and the Cryosphere to be released in September 2019 in Monaco.