Our Ocean Youth ambassadors were proud to announce the launch of their Youth Statement for the Ocean (see below) at the Ocean Dialogue held in Sydney as part of the Global Nature Positive Summit. This powerful declaration represents the collective voice of young people passionate about safeguarding our ocean and ensuring a sustainable future for all.
The statement highlights the critical role of the ocean in providing food, regulating climate, and supporting biodiversity. It also addresses the unprecedented challenges facing our marine ecosystems, including pollution, overextraction of resources, and climate change.
This youth-led initiative builds on the momentum of the Global Youth Declaration on Environment, which emerged from the Global Youth Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, earlier this year. The Ocean Youth statement calls for immediate action to address the unprecedented challenges facing our ocean, including pollution, resource overextraction, and climate change.
Key recommendations include:
- Integrating comprehensive ocean education into school curricula at all levels; and
- Increasing youth participation in environmental decision-making processes.
As Axel Tkatchew, one of our Ocean Youth Ambassadors explained, “Protecting our ocean is crucial for securing a sustainable future for all species. Our Youth Statement for the Ocean urges the Australian government, and governments globally, to take swift and decisive action, and recognise youth as informed and essential partners in shaping environmental policies and solutions.”
Ocean Youth is our youth program, and has been empowering young people since 2015 to safeguard the health and influence positive action for our ocean. A global, youth-informed, science-based initiative, Ocean Youth equips young people with the tools, support, and networks to help build their capacity to influence positive environmental change and become a driving force for a more sustainable future.
Photo: Ocean Youth ambassadors Zoe Conroy, Kenia Marcano, Josh Farrant, Isla Campbell, Axel Tkatchew and Jiayi Fang
