Eighteen leading environmental charities and campaign groups have accused the UK government of moving too slowly on a landmark ocean conservation treaty, warning the delay could sideline Britain from crucial international decisions.
In a joint letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, the organisations condemn what they describe as the ‘glacial pace of government progress’ on ratifying the High Seas Treaty into domestic law.
The letter was sent on the same day the treaty formally entered into force internationally, following ratification by 81 countries including China, France, Japan, Spain, Mexico and Brazil.
Signed by the heads of groups including Greenpeace UK, the Marine Conservation Society, Oceana, the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts, the letter cautions that the UK could be excluded from the inaugural ‘Ocean COP’ – the treaty’s first conference of the parties – which may take place as early as August.
“Nations around the world are celebrating the biggest win for nature in a generation, but our government is missing the party,” said Chris Thorne, senior oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK.
“The UK championed this treaty from the start, but is now dragging its feet over signing it into law. China, France, Spain and Brazil have all done it – when will the UK finally join them?”
While the UK introduced legislation to ratify the treaty last September, it must still pass through Parliament and be formally deposited at the United Nations.
The charities argue this delay is undermining Britain’s credibility on ocean protection and urge ministers to accelerate the process to seize what they call ‘the biggest opportunity any UK government has had to protect our oceans’.
The charities are also calling on the UK to champion the first wave of ocean sanctuaries, particularly in the Atlantic. “The Atlantic is right on our doorstep,” the letter states, highlighting the UK’s ‘unique opportunity’ to protect ecologically rich areas such as the Sargasso Sea.
