OUR REASON TO BE

Four major reasons

Campaigning for a strong and rapid mobilization for the oceans in the context of the fight against climate change:

1. The ocean plays a crucial role as a climate regulator: about 25% of the CO2 added to the atmosphere due to human activities each year is absorbed by the ocean, greatly reducing the impact of this greenhouse gas on the climate. Its buffering capacity decreased considerably. Warming, acidification, changes in oxygen levels, severity of extreme events are all factors that are now disrupting marine ecosystems.


2. The Ocean contributes to achieving the goal 14 of the MDGs by providing many ecosystem services, some of them vital: one in two foods comes from oceans and 20% of animal protein consumed by 3.5 billion people Fisheries and aquaculture industries that employ directly or indirectly more than 200 million people worldwide.


3. Coastal marine ecosystems, which account for the bulk of fisheries activities, account for 85% of the world's catches, are among the most sensitive regions of the oceans to the effects of climate change and require adaptation strategies and actions contributing to mitigation efforts in the context of climate change.


4. The universal ambition to tackle climate change has implications for the transition to low-carbon, green or blue-based economies that represent an opportunity for prosperity and sustainable development for the countries of the South. Investing in the resilience of the ocean means investing in its ability to contribute to mitigation and adaptation to the impacts of climate change.


Today

After awareness and mobilization, the time for action has come. To act, the orientations of scientists are clear:
1. Strengthening the resilience of the climate requires a great deal of work for the resilience of oceans and marine ecosystems, especially for their key role in the climate machine itself.


2. As a direct victim of climate change, some of the activities of the oceans economy such as fisheries and aquaculture will be heavily impacted and will require a planned adaptation strategy for their sustainability as well as the resilience of marine ecosystems

3. The strengthening of scientific knowledge is essential. Observing the oceans and marine ecosystems is the essential starting point

It is to integrate actions to combat the effects of climate change and maintain the integrity of coastal ecosystems in order to allow sustainable fisheries that the initiative of the blue belt is born.


It is in line with Goal 14 of the MDGs and the Aichi Goals, also based on the principles of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (FAO), the "Principles of Malawi" (CBD) And the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (FAO).

It aims to pursue, implement and consolidate Blue Growth solutions for appropriate adaptation of fisheries activities and coastal communities to the effects of climate change while providing solutions contributing to mitigating the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems Coastal areas and coastlines.

A GLOBAL CONTEXT

To combat poverty and support food security and sustainable management of aquatic resources

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

The objective of the Blue Belt Initiative is to continue, consolidate and implement SDGs 14 and the Blue Growth Initiative, which aims to restore the potential of oceans and wetlands through the introduction of responsible and sustainable approaches that reconcile economic growth and economic security with the conservation of aquatic resources.

Fisheries and aquaculture make a significant contribution to the food security and livelihoods of millions of people. Similarly, the value chain represents nearly 200 million direct or indirect jobs, from harvest to distribution: the livelihoods of about 880 million people depend on this sector.

OBJECTIVES : To pursue, consolidate and implement SDGs 14 and the Blue Growth Initiative

A DOUBLE CHALLENGE

CLIMATE CHANGE
FOOD SAFETY

CLIMATE CHANGE

CLIMATE CHANGE MAY AFFECT FOOD SECURITY AND IN PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES WITH HIGH DEPENDENCE ON THE PRODUCTS OF THE SEA.


FACTORS OTHER THAN CLIMATE CHANGE, SUCH AS GOVERNANCE, OPERATION OR MARKETS MAINTAIN THE MAIN DRIVERS OF THE FISHERIES SECTOR BUT IN LONG TERM, CLIMATE CHANGE SHOULD BE THE DETERMINANT FACTOR.


ADAPTATION CAPACITY IS CURRENTLY VERY UNIQUE IN THE WORLD.


DEVELOPING PLANNED ADAPTATION CAPACITY COULD AVOID MANY DIFFICULTLY PREDICTIVE IMPACTS.


THERE IS A WIDE RANGE OF ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION OPTIONS ALSO IN FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE.


The Ocean, At the heart of the climate machine and victim of Climate Change

Impact risks are numerous for all compartments of the marine ecosystem, marine organisms and ecosystem services.


Beyond the + 1.5 ° C scenario, the risks of impacts on marine organisms and ecosystem services are moderate to significant, the other scenarios present risks of high to very high impacts to all the components and compartments of the marine ecosystem.

CHALLENGE OF FOOD SECURITY

The Ocean covers two-thirds of our planet and offers many ecosystem services to humans (Oxygen, Food, Medicine, Transport, Energy, etc.). However, only 1% of the world's ocean is now protected. Almost 40% of the oceans are considered to be directly or indirectly impacted by the combined effects of climate change and the polluting and / or extractive activities of humans.

The impacts of climate change will also have unavoidable impacts on fish stocks, the scenarios of which remain uncertain and risk disrupting many fisheries and all industrial and economic sectors that depend on them, jeopardizing an important sector of economic activity for many countries and undermining food security, which has become a major challenge for the world in terms of the current population growth. On the occasion of CoP21 in Paris, real awareness emerged that the destinies of climate and oceans are linked, one can not be resilient without the resilience of the other.

The Universal Accord of Paris, which has contributed to the implementation of the UNFCCC objective, aims to promote solutions that prepare for effectiveness in climate resilience and Sustainable development in the emission of greenhouse gases.

An initiative that targets an area that is highly sensitive to climate change and contains a significant portion of the biodiversity of marine ecosystems.

The Blue Belt is an initiative that addresses the issues of sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture and conservation of the coastal marine ecosystem in the context of climate change.

In line with blue growth, the Blue Belt Initiative proposes three strategic thrusts and concrete actions and proven solutions for the Adaptation, Mitigation and Resilience of the Coastal Marine Ecosystem.

NO ACTION CAN BE EFFECTIVE ON THE SCALE OF A COUNTRY ALONE

The coastal zone, which can reach the limit of the EEZs, deserves attention in terms of observation, research and governance.

  • It is under strong demographic pressure, which will increase with global warming
  • It is the area most economically solicited
  • It supplied 87% of the catches in the world
  • It is the zone most sensitive to extreme phenomena (pollution, tsunamis etc ...)