In Brest, many commitments for the ocean, and some concrete measures – Le Monde

The One Ocean Summit, which was held in Brest from Wednesday February 9 to Friday February 11, did not sound the general mobilization in the face of the urgency of the threats weighing on the largest ecosystem on the planet.

Nor was it the flop predicted by some. The forty Heads of State or Government who took part on February 11, in Brest or remotely, almost all made goodwill remarks. It was mainly about biodiversity and the effects of climate change – they are already threatening small island states – and ultimately very few economic opportunities at sea.

Admittedly, there were major absentees at this summit wanted by Emmanuel Macron as part of the French presidency of the European Union (EU), such as the United Kingdom and Russia – China has sent a message through its vice president, Wang Qishan. Of course, the measures that could have a direct impact on the marine world, such as the end of trawling which scrapes the bottom, mentioned by the President of Colombia, Ivan Duque Marquez, have not found an echo. As for the renunciation of exploring and then exploiting the mineral resources of the deep sea, it was dismissed by the French president and not even mentioned by the other political leaders.

But after all, after two days of workshops and forums which turned out to be disappointing because they didn’t leave the slightest room for debate, the politicians had not come to Brittany empty-handed. With an oft-repeated watchword: action must be accelerated. “If we give ourselves the means, we can make historic decisions, it has to start today, in Brest”Hammered Emmanuel Macron.

Collective monitoring of biodiversity in the high seas

On the subject of very general public plastic dumping at sea, the majority of participants said they wanted to achieve a binding international treaty on the reduction of this waste, probably through recycling and the abandonment of single-use items. If differences remain, the negotiation process could however be launched at the end of the month in Nairobi, Kenya.

Another essential treaty, which should make it possible to collectively monitor biodiversity in the high seas and the sharing, with developing countries, of the benefits of the genetic resources it contains, has also been put forward many times. Emmanuel Macron said that, without excluding diplomats from these negotiations which have been going on for too many years, a minister from his government should attend the next session in person in March at the United Nations headquarters.

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