The fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4), held this week in Canada, will discuss the draft terms of the Global Plastics Treaty, which the United Nations committed to deliver by the end of 2024.

Greenpeace is calling for the treaty to set a legally-binding target to reduce plastic production by at least 75% by 2040, followed by significant reductions in production year-on-year and eventually phase out plastic production entirely.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Oceans Campaigner Violette Snow said the Australian government must champion strong targets and focus on reducing plastic production.

“The INC-4 is a crucial meeting that could determine the role toxic plastic will play in the future of our planet, the health of our children and the stability of our climate. The clock is ticking. The Global Plastics Treaty is a once-in-a-generation opportunity – it can’t go to waste,” she said.

“Australia must stem the tide of plastic, starting with a strong, legally binding target to reduce plastic at its source. Australia can be a global leader by championing ambitious targets at the UN, and not bowing to petrostates trying to water down the treaty terms.”

Greenpeace is calling for the Global Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution – from production to disposal – and to end single-use plastics to protect the environment and human health. 

“Australians know that life in plastic isn’t fantastic. Plastic pollution floods our planet, destroys biodiversity, kills our wildlife and worsens the climate crisis across the entire life of plastic – from extraction, production, packaging, distribution, incineration and dumping. The deadly cycle brought by runaway plastic production and use needs to stop for good, and a strong treaty will see to that,” Snow said.

“As part of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, the Australian government must walk the talk and model high ambitions. We need more focus on rapidly phasing down plastic production, and less focus on band-aid solutions. While there is a place for recycling in a circular economy, we can’t rely on recycling our way out of the plastics crisis.”

—ENDS—

Notes: 

Photos can be found here

A media briefing of the INC-4 is attached here

Audio grabs from Violette Snow can be found here

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Kimberley Bernard on +61 407 581 404 or kbernard@greenpeace.org

Last month, we announced Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s first ever campaigning vessel. This lightning-fast, 68ft new addition to the Greenpeace fleet will be used to fight for the protection of our precious oceans in our region.

From stopping Woodside’s disastrous offshore gas plans, fighting for a new Marine Protected Area for Lord Howe Rise, and keeping deep sea mining out of the waters of Australia and the Pacific forever, our new vessel is ready to make waves.

Before we start campaigning on the high seas, we needed a new name for our boat that perfectly embodies the reason we acquired a campaigning vessel in the first place: to safeguard our blue planet and defend our oceans.

What better place to start than to ask the community that keeps Greenpeace Australia Pacific alive – people just like you.

We consulted far and wide with Greenpeace Australia Pacific staff, our supporters across the nation, First Nations representatives and Pacific Elders.

And after hundreds of submissions, we are very excited to announce that our boat’s name is…

OCEANIA

Isn’t it perfect?

Oceania is the geographic region home to the diverse peoples and nations of the South Pacific and the continent of Australia – and will be the permanent home of our new campaigning vessel.

Our new boat will be used to take direct action, support front-line communities, bear witness to environmental destruction and undertake scientific research; primarily within the Australia and Pacific region.

We were looking for a meaningful name that captures the spirit of our mission and values of Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

As a local campaigning vessel in our global fleet, Oceania speaks to the urgent need for action in Australia and around the Pacific against threats brought on by the nature and climate crisis.

Together we can rise against big polluters and destructive industries who want to mine, pollute and unsustainably harvest our oceans. Together we can create protected ocean sanctuaries and amplify the voices of communities across Australia and the Pacific who depend on healthy oceans.

We are stronger together, and we are further strengthening our people-powered community with Oceania. Our vessel can bear witness, conduct research and connect us all deeper with our ocean home.

Oceania will be undergoing a refit very soon to ensure she is up to standard for campaigning on the high seas. Oceania was once a family cruising vessel, but it’s now a fierce campaigning vessel! This means we need to:

• Convert the large double beds to bunk beds so we can sleep more campaigners on board
• Reduce the number of bathrooms and convert one to a “wet room” – a space where campaigners can get dry and unpack their gear after taking action at sea
• Give the sails a well overdue replacement
• Expand the kitchen to be a fully functional galley large enough to feed a full crew
• Move the autopilot system outside and on deck where our captain will be steering the vessel

We need your help to make this transformation happen. Donate today to help get Oceania ready for campaigning.

From April 2024, the very first Greenpeace Australia Pacific vessel will set sail in the turquoise waters around Australia and the Pacific. 

With the help of an incredibly generous donor, we’ve purchased a 68ft blue water sailing boat. It’s no leisure cruiser. It’s built for speed, for the open water, to take on those who threaten the future of our blue planet.

It has recently made its way from France all the way to its new home in Australia Pacific waters. It’s currently undergoing a makeover and refit to ensure it’s up to the best possible standard for our ocean campaigns.

A love for our oceans lies at the heart of who we are at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

Our first ever action in 1977 involved activists using inflatable zodiacs to blockade a whaling station in Albany, Western Australia. This action helped to bring an end to whaling in Australian waters, and spelled the birth of Greenpeace in Australia and later the Pacific.

And now, our fight to protect whales and every creature that calls the ocean home has never been greater.

Which is why we need this vessel to help win campaigns and safeguard our oceans.

As our Head of Field Operations Chris Hay put it: you can’t save the oceans without getting your feet wet.

Now that we have this incredible campaigning asset, we need to raise funds to help power our new vessel to victory. There’s a lot at stake:

• Our direct action at sea can help stop Woodside’s monstrous Burrup Hub from becoming a reality. Exposing their sins at sea can help stop the project.
• Along with Pasifika activists, we’re taking the world’s biggest issue – climate change – to the world’s highest court. With the help of our new vessel, we’ll continue to engage with communities in the Pacific.
• Our oceans are in crisis, with deep sea mining, plastic pollution and industrial fishing pushing our blue planet to the brink. With our new ocean-going vessel, we can campaign for a Global Oceans Treaty, a Global Plastics Treaty, and a moratorium on the destructive practice of deep sea mining.

It won’t be long until our boat is ready for campaigning at sea – and you can be part of this next phase of history at Greenpeace Australia Pacific. 

Donate now to help get our boat on the water and protecting our beautiful oceans.

The Southern Ocean, the waters which encircle Antarctica, is a critical area for climate regulation and marine biodiversity – but currently less than  5% of it is fully protected.

It’s puzzling, especially when there exists a Commission that was established with the specific intent to protect Antarctic marine life. The Antarctic Ocean Commission (CCAMLR) was established in 1982 by an international convention, in response to krill populations being decimated as a result of overfishing. Krill are integral to maintaining the Antarctic ecosystem, and also play a vital role in locking away carbon in the deep sea.

The Commission meets on an annual basis in Hobart, Tasmania to review and develop Antarctic conservation measures. It was responsible for creating the world’s largest marine protected area (MPA), in the Ross Sea region in 2016. Covering 2.09 million square kilometres the MPA protects biodiversity and vulnerable marine ecosystems.

But for the last six years no new MPAs have been created, which begs the question: why? To answer this you have to understand how the decision making process within the Commission works. The body consists of 27 members and 10 other countries that have accepted the convention.

When a proposal is tabled it can only be adopted if all members agree. If some members veto the proposal it cannot be adopted. In simple terms, even if the majority of countries recognise the need for ocean sanctuaries, a minority can derail the whole process.

This was what happened during last year’s meeting when the Commission failed to reach consensus on creating three large MPAs for the Antarctic Peninsula, East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea, despite support from an overwhelming majority of governments.

Apart from this inefficient, consensus-based decision making process, governments who prioritise fisheries over safeguarding our oceans have  resulted in the CCAMLR consistently failing to provide Antarctic waters with a network of protected areas it so desperately needs.

Every day ocean threats are mounting. Climate breakdown has resulted in the Antarctic sea ice likely hitting a low winter maximum, while overfishing and pollution are slowly tearing away at our oceans life-sustaining fabric.

The Commission has the power and authority to support proposals for marine protected areas that have already been tabled to protect four million square kilometres of ocean now.

The next CCAMLR meeting is taking place in October 2023. Will the Commission deliver on its commitments and take the first steps towards protecting at least 30% of our oceans by 2030? Or will they once again allow one or two governments to block urgent ocean protection in favour of self-interest?

Unlike the CCAMLR’s failed efforts, the Global Oceans Treaty is a tool that can make ocean protection a reality. We urgently need to ratify this Treaty for 30% of our oceans to be protected by 2030. To do this, at least 60 governments need to sign on.

Sign our petition now to ask the Australian government to urgently ratify the Global Oceans Treaty, and start protecting our oceans!

Stretching over 260 kilometres along the west coast of Australia, UNESCO heritage-listed Nyinggulu or Ningaloo Reef (which translates to “deep water” by the Traditional Owners of the land) is the longest-fringing coral reef in the world. 

Considered one of the planet’s largest biologically diverse marine ecosystems and a highway for megafauna, Ningaloo is home to some of the most interesting wildlife in our oceans. So to help us celebrate this World Animal Day, here are 5 fascinating facts you may not know about the wildlife that calls the world’s largest-fringing coral reef home:

Say hello to 6 out of the world’s 7 marine turtles:

A number of Green Turtle hatchlings begin to erupt from a nest site as the sun sets and the temperature drops on a beach near Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.

Did you know that more than 3,000 species of marine life, including 200 coral, 500 reef fish, 600 crustaceans, and 1,000 marine algae call Ningaloo Reef home sweet home? Not to mention 6 out of the world’s 7 species of marine turtles, 3 of which (the endangered green, loggerhead and critically endangered hawksbill turtle) call the reef their home year-round. This leads to the wonderful phenomenon of approximately 10,000 turtle nests dug each year along the Ningaloo Coast! Egg-cellent.

And the highest density of humpback whales in the Southern Hemisphere:

Aerial shot of humpback whales migrating along the Ningaloo Coastline in Western Australia, taken from a helicopter.

It’s not just the east coast of Australia that sees thousands of humpback whales migrating to our warmer waters each year. The west coast, in particular the Ningaloo Coast actually has the highest density of humpback whales in the Southern Hemisphere during their annual 11,000km migration from Antarctica! Scientists estimate that 30,000 humpback whales visit the Ningaloo Coast each year on their way to their breeding and birthing grounds further north off the Kimberley. It’s one reason why the area is known as a megafauna superhighway! 

Welcome to the home of the whale shark (and plenty of other sharks and rays!):

Whale shark seen during Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior documentation trip off Exmouth, Western Australia.

Ningaloo Reef is fondly known as home of the whale shark, aka the world’s largest known fish, because it is one of the only places in the world where the gentle giants regularly aggregate in large numbers. These docile and distinctively spotted creatures are filter feeders, meaning as the name implies, a whale shark’s diet is rich in plankton and krill.

Meanwhile, we know that there are two types of manta ray in the world (oceanic and reef mantas), but did you also know that Ningaloo Reef is considered to be one of the few places in the world where you can be lucky enough to spot both?! Congregating at Ningaloo Reef year-round, manta rays, like their cousin the whale shark, are also filter feeders and feast on the large amounts of zooplankton found in the area. 

And more than 10% of the world’s dugong population:

Aerial shots of dugongs and dolphins swimming at Ningaloo Reef.

Once thought to be mermaids by early sailors, dugongs (aka “sea cows”) are another species of gentle giants that can be found year-round at Ningaloo Reef. In fact, thanks to the area’s vast seagrass meadows, and a dugong’s hungry herbivorous appetite, Ningaloo Reef is believed to be home to more than 10% of the world’s dugong population. Sadly, like coral reefs, seagrass populations are threatened by the ongoing effects of the climate crisis, through sea level rise, salinity levels and ocean, and is one of the many reasons global dugong populations remain a vulnerable species.

Plus a coral reef that can be seen from space: 

View of the reef documented during Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior’s trip off Exmouth, Western Australia.

Did we mention that Ningaloo Reef is the world’s largest fringing reef? Or that it can be seen from space and is home to over 250 species of coral?! Stretching over 260 kilometres (that’s 226 times the length of the Sydney Harbour Bridge), Ningaloo Reef is believed to represent 50% of coral species in the Indian Ocean. What also makes Ningaloo so special is that coral reefs often don’t grow so close to a landmass, because rain washes silt into the water, making it cloudy and hindering coral growth. However, the arid climate of the Ningaloo Coast helps keep the water mostly clear. This means you can reach the reef simply by swimming from the beach.

…We told you Ningaloo Reef was fascinating!

Ningaloo Reef is an extraordinary place, as is the precious wildlife that calls this place home. Its unique and delicate ecosystem is one that we need to ensure is protected from the devastating impacts of the climate crisis. This World Animal Day, and every day, it is crucial to protect the reef and its biodiversity to ensure the survival of these incredible creatures.

Join our efforts to protect Ningaloo Reef and its wildlife.

In March 2023, history was made when the UN finally agreed on a new Global Ocean Treaty. This Treaty is a powerful tool that can help protect at least 30% of the oceans by 2030. Time is running out, and reaching this target will require a strong and urgent political response. This report offers clear routes to action to get across the finishing line and help the oceans thrive again.

The High Seas cover 61% of the world’s oceans and occupy 70% of the living space on our planet, including land and sea. These international waters are home to a stunning wealth of marine life and ecosystems. They are crucial to many of the key processes that sustain life on our blue planet, including mitigating climate change.

But in recent decades life in the High Seas has dwindled under the rising impact of multiple human stresses, prompting the United Nations to begin a process to reform management in international waters.

It is also a question that deserves a clear answer, so here it goes: people in WA and around the world are increasingly focussed on Woodside because of the huge threat it poses to WA’s oceans and wildlife, and to our global climate. 

There is mounting disgust at the impunity with which Woodside is being allowed to proceed with its destructive plans. As Tim Winton has said “we can’t keep averting our gaze and pretending that this isn’t happening”. 

Just last week, Woodside got the green light from the regulator to start seismic blasting off WA’s north-west coast. Right now, Woodside’s blasting ship is headed toward WA’s coastline. Soon, there will be underwater sonic cannons exploding in the habitat of endangered whales. 

As the shocking recent footage of beaching pilot whales at Cheynes Beach showed, cetaceans are deeply sensitive to changes in their environment. Seismic blasting is incredibly loud and can damage the hearing of whales, leaving the creatures unable to navigate, communicate or forage for food. A deaf whale is a dead whale.

And it is not only the whales. Some of the most incredible and pristine places in our oceans – jewels like Scott Reef, Rowley Shoals, Mermaid Sound and even the world-famous Ningaloo Reef – are all at risk. 

Woodside wants to run pipelines and drill for gas on the fringes of some of Australia’s most intact coral reefs. Whether or not you’re an environmentalist, no one can deny the value of the billions of dollars these fishing, diving, and tourism hotspots bring to the WA economy every year. All that could be lost because of Woodside’s corporate greed.

Then there’s the straight out climate impacts. We’ve already seen our state and country burn, flood, and crack under unprecedented weather extremes, supercharged by climate change that is driven by the burning of coal, oil, and gas. It’s the same confronting story the world over. 

Not only is Woodside perpetuating harm, it’s also stopping progress on solutions. 

For instance, modelling commissioned by Woodside from the CSIRO demonstrated that Woodside’s gas exports risked crowding out the growth of renewable energy in Asia – this was a report Woodside tried to suppress, but journalists uncovered through freedom of information requests. 

Woodside has also made claims about the local business benefits for its gas, which are baseless. Most of the gas from Scarborough and Browse will be exported so it won’t have a significant impact on the Australian grid. 

And by attempting to lock in decades of future gas extraction, Woodside is crowding out clean energy, making it difficult for governments and businesses to invest in renewable infrastructure and supply. This makes it more expensive for polluting-but-essential industries like steel and mining to switch to clean energy, and means that West Australians get left behind as other nations take the prize share of jobs and opportunities from the global shift to clean, low-emissions energy and resources. 

This is the context in which Woodside is pushing ahead with the Burrup Hub, which involves drilling multiple wells across two huge massive offshore gas fields and extending the operations of gas infrastructure until 2070. 

Woodside knows full well that if it goes ahead, the Burrup Hub will be Australia’s dirtiest fossil fuel project, producing the equivalent of more than 12 times Australia’s annual domestic climate pollution. But Woodside apparently doesn’t care, so long as it can deliver short-term profits to shareholders.

Going back to the Premier’s question – which he asked in the context of some protestors turning up outside Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill’s house last week – it’s no wonder that so many people are obsessed with stopping Woodside. 

And it is a shame that the protestors became the story – rather than that Woodside had been given the green light to blast the ocean.

The quiet frustration is growing, amongst ordinary people who are worried about the future and are fed up with Woodside being allowed to chuck a spanner in the works.

There is a rising tide of determination that the state’s future can be clean, safe, and prosperous – powered by renewable energy. The real obsession is with building that better future; which is why so many West Australians are now determined to stop Woodside. You can join them.

Tell Woodside it’s time to walk away from its toxic gas project.

David Ritter is the CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific

Follow Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s Climate Justice Ship Tour

“The deep sea mining industry was getting ready to plunge its mechanical teeth into the ocean floor, but their bet backfired as they have seriously underestimated the importance of science and equity over a merely speculative and profit-driven venture. The cracks are appearing in what has to date been a fortress for industry interests as a result of increasing public awareness and mobilisation. It’s clear that most governments do not want their legacy to be green lighting ocean destruction”, said Greenpeace International Oceans campaigner Louisa Casson.

The decisions adopted by the ISA Council on 21 July effectively mean that a majority of countries — including Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Vanuatu, Germany and Switzerland — did not yield to pressure from the industry — supported by nations such as Norway and Mexico — to fast-track rules for deep sea mining. Industry frontrunner The Metals Company saw its share price plummet as markets reacted to the news.[1]  However, the ISA still failed to close a legal loophole for companies to start mining next year. 

At the ISA Assembly this week, pro-mining nations reacted by attempting to silence the growing resistance to deep sea mining in the very place it’s up for negotiation: As of Friday morning, China is still opposing a proposal from Latin American, Pacific and European governments to make space for debate. Such attempts at restricting opposition to deep sea mining went beyond the negotiating table, as the ISA Secretariat, frequently accused of being too close to the industry, restricted journalists and clamped down on peaceful protest during the meetings. 

“Investors looking at what happened in the past week will only see a desperate industry trying to maintain the illusion it has any future. If deep sea mining was truly as sustainable as miners claim and their hearts were truly invested in helping the climate crisis, why block dissent? It’s become clear during these weeks that irresponsibly pressing ahead to mine the deep sea in the middle of a climate crisis is not only reckless but politically toxic. The world is fighting back against deep sea mining – there’s a big fight ahead, but the fight is on,” Casson continued. 

The world is waking up to the significance of the threat from deep sea mining. The calls of Indigenous Peoples are being joined by people across the world: 37 financial institutions, over 750 scientists and the fishing industry have also called for a halt. 

“In the Pacific, the ocean is dear to us. It informs our lives and who we are as a people. The spectre of deep-sea mining raises many concerns that remind us of the legacies our region has felt from other colonial extractive industries and the barbarous nuclear testing era. We call on world leaders to be better stewards of our ocean by joining the call for a moratorium,” said Joey Tau, Campaigner with the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) based in Suva, Fiji. 

Greenpeace believes that the way to stop this industry is through a moratorium that focuses on putting protection in place and that requires more governments to speak up to safeguard the ocean. 

This is how we welcome people into our Pasifika families in the beautiful islands of Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Fiji and it will be the welcome that will be provided to the Rainbow Warrior when she lands on the shores of the Pacific Islands next week.

The Rainbow Warrior will continue its journey to the Pacific — this time, in support of a groundbreaking Pasifika led legal campaign, taking climate harm to the world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice.

Join our campaign for an 8-week inspiring journey where you’ll meet and connect with the most powerful activists and social justice warriors in the world.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN

We will be collaborating with the most resilient human beings with connections to cultures deeply rooted in respect, trust and love spanning thousands of years. You can also follow our voyage through our interactive map below. 

FOLLOW THE JOURNEY

The beautiful Pacific nations are made up of over 7,500 islands across one quarter of the Earth in the largest ocean in the world. Our Pasifika ancestors were some of the greatest navigators using nothing but stars, planets and constellations. It was and is all about being one with everything around us and our connection with the Moana or Wasawasa – the ocean.  

Greenpeace has a long and proud history of working alongside local communities to protect the oceans, lands, and people of the Pacific.

We will be travelling to Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Fiji to celebrate beautiful cultural traditions and document human rights stories from the impacts of climate change. These accounts will be included as part of the legal case at the International Court of Justice.

The Journey

Stop One: Cairns

The Pacific Campaign Launch. ‘Mura Kalmel Sipa’: Together we stand.

In Cairns, the Rainbow Warrior welcomes First Nations leaders from the Guda Maluyligal in the Torres Strait, Uncle Paul and Uncle Pabai – plaintiffs in the Australian Climate Case who have taken the Australian government to court for failing to protect their island homes from climate change.

Uncle Paul and Uncle Pabai alongside other inspiring Australian climate litigants like Anjali Sharma will travel on the Rainbow Warrior to the Pacific in a show of solidarity with communities around the world taking action into their own hands after decades of government failure to act on climate change.

Stop Two: Port Vila, Vanuatu

“We can change the world if we change the law”.

Vanuatu is the most climate-vulnerable nation in the world and is also one of the most ambitious countries in tackling climate change. 

Greenpeace is bringing climate litigants from around the world together in Port Vila, from Bonaire in the Caribbean to the Philippines and Australia in support of a historic legal climate campaign.

Born in Vanuatu, this ground-breaking legal campaign is taking climate justice to the world’s highest court – The International Court of Justice –  in a case to protect the human rights of those most impacted by climate change and see legal consequences for big polluters.

Stop Three: Erromango, Vanuatu

Bearing witness to loss and damage

Erromango, a culturally rich island in Vanuatu, experienced severe damage from multiple cyclones, including a rare and devastating ‘double cyclone event’ this year. 

Greenpeace will join the Erromango community to celebrate beautiful cultural traditions and document human rights stories of the impacts of climate change, encompassing the rights to life, health, food, water, sanitation, housing, self-determination, culture, and development. 

These accounts will be included as part of the International Court of Justice submission process.

Stop Four:  Funafuti, Tuvalu

Leadership and Solutions from the frontlines of the climate crisis

Tuvalu is an atoll nation with a population of approximately 11,000. ​​Tuvalu’s land rarely exceeds 3m above sea level, making it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels. 

Tuvalu also became famous as the first country in the world to create a digital replica of itself on the metaverse to preserve its culture in the face of climate loss.

Greenpeace will engage with climate leaders and highlight the resilience of Pacific communities who are at the forefront of addressing the climate crisis. 

Greenpeace will offer action training on the Rainbow Warrior ship for local activists.

Stop Five: Suva, Fiji 

Co-powering with communities in the region

Bula! Fiji holds significant diplomatic and economic ties with Australia. It faces severe impacts from intense cyclones, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures, affecting both its GDP and community resilience. 

The Rainbow Warrior’s return to the Pacific Islands is an opportunity to strengthen relationships with civil society, non-governmental organisations, and allies in the region. Greenpeace’s focus is to collaborate with communities, amplify the visions of climate justice activists, and foster discussion, talanoa, action, and friendship.

Suva, home to the University of the South Pacific, witnessed the birth of this groundbreaking legal campaign bringing climate change to the highest court in the world. To bring this full circle, Greenpeace will co-host a University open day with Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), who played a vital role in the ICJAO campaign.

Stop Six: Kioa and Rabi, Fiji

Fiji, grappling with climate migration challenges of its own, is home to Kioa and Rabi islands, each with distinct narratives of relocated communities due to the impacts of climate change. 

The Kioa community’s journey, initiated after World War II from Tuvalu’s Vaitupu Island, serves as a global inspiration.

Greenpeace will join leaders, civil society groups, climate impacted individuals, and climate organisations from across the Pacific on Kioa Island for discussions as part of the ongoing Kioa Climate Declaration. 

This grassroots regional initiative places Pacific demands at the forefront of conversations surrounding Loss & Damage. The commitment to a Loss & Damage mechanism at COP27 ensures that funds from the most polluting countries are directed towards supporting developing nations disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.

Following this, the Rainbow Warrior will journey to neighbouring Rabi Island to commemorate World Indigenous People’s Day and stand in solidarity through a candlelit vigil, supporting global climate litigants making submissions to the International Court of Justice. 

Stop Seven: Suva, Fiji

Rainbow Warrior says Sota Tale to the Pacific

Sota Tale, bye for now, to our Pacific friends, allies and leaders whose strength and leadership have inspired us so much during our Pacific tour.

This journey is an opportunity to strengthen relationships and collaborate with communities, amplifying the visions of climate justice activists, and foster discussion, talanoa, action, and friendship.

We will weave together stories from Pacific Island communities and share with the world the unique threats to culture that are being faced, but also the need for collective response on the journey towards climate justice.

Culture and cultural connection for our Pasifika people is what unites us. It’s what makes us different. It’s what defines us, it’s what breathes life or wairua (the spirit of the soul) into us. Our culture is our identity, our culture is our mana, our culture is a significant part of the tapa (fabric) of our lives.

It is about fighting for what is right and creating space for people who are at the front lines of the climate crisis with the most progressive of solutions.

I look forward to bringing you along on this journey merging the cultural pulse of the Pacific with the cultural pulse of Greenpeace itself. Forging a united path across islands and oceans. This journey is about listening, it’s about heart to heart healing. It’s about learning, growing and sharing solidarity with each other. 

I started this blog with something that is severely threatened by climate change and something that we hold close to our beings –  our languages stemming from our beautiful Vanua and fenua (land). I will end this email with the same. There is only one language when it comes to fighting for what is right – the language of the soul.

Tankyu Tumas, Fakafetai Lasi,  Vinaka Vakalevu

The Significance of the Treaty:

The UN Ocean Treaty carries immense potential to support the achievement of the 30×30 target, unanimously agreed upon by governments under the Convention on Biological Diversity in late 2022. This target aims to protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. By enabling the creation of extensive ocean sanctuaries, shielded from harmful human activities on the high seas, the treaty promises to catalyse the restoration and flourishing of marine biodiversity.

For more information about the UN Ocean Treaty and to read the full text of the agreement, you can visit the official document at: UN Ocean Treaty Text.

A Call for Urgent Ratification:

Chris Thorne, a prominent figure in Greenpeace’s Protect the Oceans campaign, emphasised the importance of immediate action in ratifying the treaty. Thorne heralded the treaty as a triumph for all life on Earth, urging the governments involved to swiftly ratify it and commence the establishment of vast ocean sanctuaries. The scientific community has unequivocally stressed the need to safeguard at least 30% of our oceans by 2030, granting them a chance to recover and thrive.

Present Challenges and Future Aspirations:

With less than 1% of the high seas currently protected, the road to achieving the 30×30 target is undeniably daunting. However, the monumental agreement reached by millions of people worldwide and the tireless efforts of organisations like Greenpeace have set a precedent for change. Although there is still much ground to cover, there is a resolute commitment to realising the goal of 30% ocean protection by the end of this decade.

The Global Call for Action:

The drive for a Global Ocean Treaty garnered support from 5.5 million individuals spanning every continent, who joined Greenpeace in advocating for governments to finalise the agreement. To transform the 30×30 vision into a tangible reality, it is imperative for governments to ratify the treaty during the UN Ocean Conference in 2025. This landmark gathering will serve as a pivotal moment in galvanising worldwide efforts toward comprehensive ocean protection.

The formal adoption of the UN Ocean Treaty signifies a turning point in the collective fight to conserve our oceans. Governments around the world now have the responsibility to ratify this transformative agreement and actively work towards establishing extensive ocean sanctuaries. As the year 2030 looms ever closer, the urgency to protect our oceans intensifies. With determination, collaboration, and global solidarity, we can safeguard marine biodiversity and create a sustainable future for generations to come.

In addition to supporting the UN Ocean Treaty, there is another critical issue that requires our attention: deep-sea mining. The fragile ecosystems and unique species found in the deep sea face unprecedented threats from this emerging industry. To voice your concerns and join the movement against deep-sea mining, we encourage you to sign the petition calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining until its environmental impact is thoroughly understood.

Together, we have the power to protect our oceans and ensure their health and vitality for future generations. Let us stand united in our commitment to preserve these irreplaceable ecosystems and take action on both the UN Ocean Treaty and the critical issue of deep-sea mining. Sign the petition today and make your voice heard in defence of our deep oceans.