“Jointly held by 19 organizations in Asia, including South Korea and Japan, and Member of the National Assembly Wi Seonggon”
“Requested to ratify the BBNJ before the April OOC to set an international example”
“Expectations for a leading role in expanding marine protected areas and international cooperation on Antarctic marine protection”
On January 31, 2025, ‘Joint Statement to call for urgent actions for Marine Conservation to Mitigate Climate Change Impact’ was submitted to the Korean government and the National Assembly by 19 environmental organizations in Asia, including South Korea and Japan, and Member of the National Assembly Wi Seong-gon.
On Monday, February 3, 2025, at 2 p.m., a press conference was held at the National Assembly press center to announce the joint statement. This press conference was held ahead of the ’10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC)’ to be held in Busan in April, and was held to request that the host country, the Republic of Korea, implement more enhanced marine conservation policies and play a greater role in the international community regarding marine conservation.
The joint statement contains four goals that the Korean government should strive to achieve for marine conservation. The four goals are △Expand Marine Protected Areas(MPAs) △Enhance Regional Cooperation for Marine Conservation △Expedite Ratification and Implementation of the BBNJ Agreement △Support the Expansion of Antarctic MPAs.
“At the National Assembly debate on ‘How far have we come in ratifying the BBNJ Agreement?’ held in September 2024, the government, academia, and civil society worked together to come up with practical actions and tasks,” said National Assembly member Wi Seong-gon, who submitted the joint statement together. ”I look forward to the Korean government setting an example for the international community through responsible marine conservation policies ahead of the OOC.” The National Assembly will also actively provide policy and legislative support to make practical changes to preserve the marine environment and will do its best to make a difference.”
Eunhee Kim, Executive Director of the Climate Ocean Research Institute, who signed the joint statement, said, “Korea is hosting major international ocean-related conferences, including the OOC in Busan in April this year, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting(ATCM) in 2027, and the UN Ocean Conference(UNOC) in 2028, and is gradually gaining international status on marine conservation issues compared to the past. To meet these international expectations, the Korean government must make a substantial contribution to marine conservation,”
said Dr. Kim. ”More than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface area is covered by ocean, but less than 10% is protected. Scientists argue that at least 30% of the ocean must be protected for meaningful marine conservation. The ocean is already being over-exploited. For the sake of future generations, we must now strongly promote policies for marine protection, build resilience to the effects of climate change, and fully protect biodiversity.”
Rebecca Hubbard, Director of the High Seas Alliance(HSA), a leading international organization working to preserve the high seas, said, “The BBNJ Convention must be made effective as international law for fair marine conservation, which is urgently needed for all of us. To meet this, 60 countries must ratify it, and governments around the world have pledged to achieve this by the third UNOC, which will be held in Nice, France, in June 2025. With just five months to go, the OOC will be held in Busan in April. This will be an important milestone on the road to the UNOC.”
In addition, Director Hubbard said, “If South Korea, as the host country of the OOC, joins the 60 countries that will ratify the BBNJ Convention, it will be a good opportunity to demonstrate its strong commitment to fair marine conservation. I hope that South Korea will be able to strengthen its reputation as a more influential maritime nation.”
Starting with this press conference, the organizers will continue various activities to help South Korea ratify the BBNJ Convention before the OOC, which will be held in Busan in April.
Joint Statement to call for urgent actions for Marine Conservation
to Mitigate Climate Change Impact
The climate crisis is intensifying threats to marine biodiversity and accelerating the degradation of marine ecosystems essential to human and planetary health. Yet, despite the urgency, current governmental efforts to protect marine environments remain insufficient. Recognizing the critical state of our oceans, we, civil society and environmental organizations from Asia including Japan and the Republic of Korea, and the High Seas Alliance, jointly call on our governments to take decisive, coordinated action.
In alignment with the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (K-M GBF) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which includes a target to protect 30% of terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, we urge our governments to take immediate steps to meet this goal.
Furthermore, we recognize the recently adopted Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) as a historic advancement for high-seas biodiversity conservation. We call on our governments to ratify the BBNJ Agreement without delay and to collaborate on establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the high seas, thus advancing the global “30 by 30” target.
This commitment is crucial for safeguarding biodiversity and strengthening the resilience of marine ecosystems essential to human well-being. Considering the Southern and Antarctic Ocean makes up about 10 percent of the global ocean, we emphasize the urgent need to expand MPAs around Antarctica. This unique ecosystem supports a vast range of marine species and is critical for global biodiversity and climate regulation. We call on our governments to actively support and advocate for the designation of additional MPAs in the Southern Ocean to protect these vulnerable habitats from climate change impacts and human activities such as fishing and resource extraction.
Together, we urge our governments to undertake the following actions:
- Expand Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Establish and effectively manage MPAs to achieve the “30 by 30” global target, ensuring at least 30% of marine and coastal areas including large-scale MPAs by 2030.
- Enhance Regional Cooperation for Marine Conservation: We urge increased cooperation among Asian countries through coordinated efforts across scientific, political, and civil society sectors to protect our shared marine ecosystems.
- Expedite Ratification and Implementation of the BBNJ Agreement: High seas make up two-thirds of the global ocean and are pivotal to meeting the 30% MPA goal. Our governments should lead in the MPA designation process and commit to scientific research and management plans that ensure high-seas biodiversity protection.
- Support the Expansion of Antarctic MPAs: Advocate for the protection of key areas in the Southern Ocean to preserve its unique and fragile ecosystems, which play a critical role in global biodiversity and mitigating climate change impact.
The “30 by 30” goal, coupled with the BBNJ Agreement and the expansion of Antarctic MPAs, provides an unprecedented opportunity to advance marine conservation and alleviate the climate change impact on our oceans. As civil society and environmental organizations united in this mission, we call on our governments to lead the way in protecting marine biodiversity and securing a sustainable future for marine ecosystems to be passed on to future generations.
List of signatories
Wi Seonggon, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea for Seogwipo-si,
Cheonnam Korean Federation for Environmental Movement,
Citizens’ Institute for Environment Studies,
Citizen Ocean Science Research Team,
Climate Ocean Research Institute,
Eco Horizon Institute,
Environmental Justice Foundation,
Friends of Earth Japan,
Greenpeace East Asia,
Green Korea United,
High Seas Alliance,
Hot Pink Dolphins,
Incheon Korean Federation for Environmental Movement,
Jeju Ecotourism Association,
Jeju Korean Federation for Environmental Movement,
Korean Federation for Environmental Movement,
Marine Animal Research & Conservation,
Paran Citizen Ocean Science Center,
Sea Shepherd Korea,
The Nature Conservation Society of Japan
January 31, 2025