Ocean science provides an opportunity to recovery
Today is the last day of my yearlong sabbatical. It was nothing of what I had planned. It was a year to remember. My most important thought about this year is that I work with amazing people and have amazing friends. My focus was obviously on water and in the process of reading and researching, I have become very aware of the efforts of people and groups across the globe to protect our water resources. Everything from citizen science to large scale initiatives to try to raise awareness of the value of water.
Yesterday I watched a webinar about what is needed for the next 10 years in ocean conservation. Next year, 2021, marks the start of the United Nations’ Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development; and 2030 is the target date set by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), https://www.iucn.org/ Mission Blue and hundreds of other organizations to protect 30% of the ocean as Marine Protected Areas.
The webinar involved a discussion of opportunities and challenges to making significant strides in protecting the ocean, the land, and along with it, humanity. There were some amazing contributions from the panel on how we can balance our needs as a species with the needs of other life on the planet? Sylvia Earle, globally recognised marine conservationist, https://mission-blue.org/about/ spoke about what are the big, bold changes needed so we can go from a time of decline to a time of resurgent health throughout the ecosystems on the planet? Her view was a simple one – we can all do something, some more than others.
There were some great ideas shared about what we can do. One idea from some of the younger panellists was that corporations need to stop using plastic – now! What a simple a great suggestion.
As I move back to my usual job in January, I will be taking all of these great ideas and those gathered throughout 2020, to my work in the Water Institute in our new strategy development.
Happy Christmas. I will be back blogging on January 4th 2021.
Stay Safe
Wash your Hands