“Climate change is a direct and existential threat to life in oceans and seas globally”, acknowledges the EU Council, alarmed by the IPCC's Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere published in September (see EUROPE 12335/15).
In conclusions on oceans and seas adopted without debate on Tuesday 19 November, it notes with great concern that the warming of Europe's regional seas is occurring at a faster than average rate and calls for increased action at all levels to protect marine and coastal ecosystems.
The EU Council stresses “the need for immediate action against increasing threats and their cumulative impacts on our oceans, seas and coastal areas, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, acidification, eutrophication and expanding hypoxic areas, pollution by dangerous and hazardous substances, invasive alien species (IAS), marine litter and micro plastics, underwater noise, over-exploitation of marine resources and illegal activities”.
Therefore, it requests the Commission for policy options that respond to the IPCC report.
The EU Council emphasizes the importance of clean, healthy and productive oceans whose ecosystems are conserved and whose resources are sustainably used for achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
It also emphasizes the importance of: - sustainable use of marine resources; - a sustainable blue economy and the role of economic sectors such as fisheries, shipping and offshore renewable energy; - enhanced coordination on maritime security; - the protection of the Arctic and the outermost regions as well as the overseas countries and territories because of their vulnerability; - the reduction of marine waste, particularly plastics and microplastics; - the health and resilience of oceans; - the protection of vulnerable marine and coastal ecosystems; - strengthening ocean research and science. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)