At sea on ocean goals: India must lead to protect marine health interests

With UN pledges on ocean health remaining voluntary, India must chart its own course to safeguard its maritime interests

Humanity is terrestrial, but its origins lie deep in the ocean. In 1967, when the world was negotiating the historic Law of the Sea, a Maltese diplomat, Arvid Prado said: “The dark oceans were the womb of life; from the protecting oceans life emerged. We still bear in our bodies — in our blood, in the salty bitterness of our tears — the marks of this remote past.” 

And the umbilical cord that ties us to the ocean is the stuff of life itself. The ocean generates half of the planet’s oxygen. It absorbs 30 per cent of all carbon emissions. It moderates atmospheric heat. It is the largest carbon sink on earth. If it begins to lose its role as the earth’s climate regulator, planetary extinction will not be far behind.  

Restoring the health of the ocean has been a long-term concern. The Law of the Sea, signed in 1982 (but entered into force only in 1994), contained provisions on the protection of the marine environment. But it is in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015, that there is a comprehensive road map — in SDG 14 — for “conserving and sustainably using the world’s oceans, seas, and marine resources.” There are 10 targets to be achieved by 2030, including eliminating marine pollution, stopping overfishing, and addressing ocean acidification. None of these targets are remotely near achievement. The UN Ocean Conference — the first of which was convened in New York in 2017, and the second in Lisbon in 2022 — was directed towards reviewing progress on the SDG 14 targets and enhancing implementation. But the record so far has been dismal. 

The independent non-profit OceanCare states, “Since Lisbon 2022, we’ve seen ocean conditions worsen across multiple indicators while governments offer aspirational language without much tangible action. The window for effective ocean action is likely to close within the next 5-10 years.” 

These UN conferences are not negotiating forums and their declarations are voluntary commitments. There is no incentive for states to ensure implementation since there is no legally enforceable compliance provision. 

The third UN Ocean Conference was convened jointly by France and Costa Rica in Nice from June 9 to 13. Considering the highly polarised geopolitical environment and the rejection of multilateralism by Donald Trump’s America, the conference must count as a success. More than 170 countries were represented, and 60 heads of state and government attended. The outcome consisted of a Political Declaration and a Nice Ocean Action Plan. They contain a veritable deluge of voluntary commitments — not only from governments but also from scientists, UN agencies, and civil society. 

More importantly, there is a pledge to seek early ratification of the important Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) or High Seas Treaty, and to conclude negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty at the final round to be held in Geneva in August. Both are critical in providing legal safeguards for the ocean’s health. The High Seas Treaty will protect nearly two-thirds of the ocean space that does not fall under national jurisdiction. 

Plastic pollution in the ocean has reached truly alarming proportions, endangering all marine life and entering the food chain in the form of microplastics, which are carcinogenic and are endangering both human and animal life. It is estimated that 18-20 per cent of global plastic waste ends up in the oceans every year. If unchecked, a gargantuan 37 million tonnes of waste could be dumped into the ocean by 2040. Add to this other waste and hazardous material that is routinely thrown into the ocean. The oceans have truly become the rubbish dump of the world.  

The International Biodiversity Convention is also relevant to ocean conservation. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework includes a pledge to place 30 per cent of the ocean space as marine protected areas. The UN Ocean Conference has also underlined the importance of achieving this by the target date of 2030. 

The Political Declaration adopted by consensus at Nice reflects the rising concern over the deteriorating health of our ocean. It states that the “ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future and we remain deeply alarmed by the global emergency it faces.” 

This note of urgency was underscored by the warning sounded by nearly 2,000 international scientists, including oceanographers, who convened their own One Ocean Science Conference in advance of the UN meet. The scientists provided a sober, science-based assessment of the existential threat posed by the rapid degradation of the global marine ecology. This was a timely and much-needed initiative. 

As always, the problem is that this sense of urgency is not reflected in the mobilisation of resources required for the implementation of the action plan. A slowing global economy will make funding even more challenging. The UN estimates a funding gap of $15.8 billion for ocean protection. This seems a gross underestimate, considering the ambitious targets put forward. 

India was represented at the conference by its Minister of Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh. He put forward a six-point ocean conservation plan, which included advancing marine research and science-based solutions for ocean policy and governance; expanding marine protected areas and preserving marine ecosystems; reducing marine pollution through effective wastewater management and adopting circular economic principles; and empowering communities by incorporating indigenous knowledge and ensuring inclusive and equitable ocean governance. Several of these points are reflected in the final documents. 

India is a maritime country and has a large exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 2.2 million sq km. Another 1.2 million sq km constitutes its extended continental shelf. It has a coastline of over 7,000 km. The global ocean governance regime will have major implications for India, both for its economic and maritime security. Maritime boundaries are unlike terrestrial boundaries; they are by their very nature permeable. Ocean conservation requires a willingness to cooperate closely with maritime neighbours and partners.  

India could also consider extending the area under protected marine national parks. Currently, there are only four — the Gulf of Kutch, the Gulf of Mannar, the Sundarbans, and Wandoor. 

It may also consider the restoration of the degraded Ganga delta in the east, which is now a dead zone devoid of any marine life. This is the consequence of toxic chemical effluents and other hazardous waste carried downstream from agricultural and industrial areas upstream. 

Terrestrial and marine systems are interconnected and must be addressed in a holistic manner. India needs an ecological strategy that acknowledges these linkages.

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The author is a former foreign secretary and a former special envoy of the PM for climate change