CALLS FOR G7 TO PRIORITISE OCEAN HEALTH

Calls for G7 to prioritise ocean health from international civil society. A new statement, signed by leading scientists from a variety of marine fields is calling on G7 leaders to prioritise ocean protection in order to tackle climate change ahead of the Ministerial meeting with ‘Seven Asks for the G7’.

The scientists recommend seven actions that the G7 can take to simultaneously improve climate change and ocean health and by doing so, protect the ocean’s role in sustaining life on Earth.

In the meantime, over 70 civil society groups and coalitions from around the world have signed a letter to G7 Environment Ministers asking them to heed dire scientific warnings and make ocean protection a part of the agenda for the 2021 Leaders’ Summit.

“Our leaders will not be able to tackle climate breakdown if they do not protect the ocean. A commitment to protect the ocean should be included in the agenda for the Summit and in the ultimate communiqué, as a demonstration that the G7 countries are seriously and effectively ready to take a global lead in preventing and reversing climate breakdown,” the letter says.

About the G7

The G7, originally G8, was set up in 1975 as an informal forum bringing together the leaders of the world’s leading industrial nations. The annual G7 summits have over the years developed into a platform for determining the course of multilateral discourse and shaping political responses to global challenges. It complements the role of the G20, which is widely regarded as the framework for ongoing global economic coordination.

The summit gathers leaders from the European Union and the following countries:

• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• the United Kingdom
• the United States.

It is capable of setting the global agenda because decisions taken by these major economic powers have a real impact. The political direction set by these leaders on a policy issue will have a “ripple” effect across many other international organisations and institutions.

Thus, decisions taken at the G7 are not legally binding, but exert strong political influence.

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