By Bisola Adeyemo
President Hage Geingob of Namibia has called upon world leaders to come together again to combat plastic pollution and coastal erosion to avoid an unprecedented global environmental catastrophe.
Geingob made the call in France during a discussion on ocean protection at the first edition of the One Ocean Summit in Brest.
According to him, the Summit was aimed at raising global awareness on marine issues and translating shared responsibility to the ocean into tangible commitments, Windhoek reports.
He also said the call was made as part of an effort to combat plastic pollution, coastal erosion and climate change globally.
“We cannot continue talking about threats to the ocean in an abstract way or to offer one-dimensional solutions that could hinder the implementation of the recommendations from climate change experts,” he said.
Geingob noted that initiatives from the summit must respond to the climate change crisis through the equitable and better governance of the oceans.
“The ocean gives us food, it gives us life, and connects human beings in extraordinary ways. Therefore, its protection is not optional, but vital for the survival of our global village. As such, through initiatives such as the One Ocean Summit, we should recommit to act now to protect the vital resource of our ocean for our continued livelihoods,” he said.
Geingob said that world leaders must strive to achieve the goals of “conservation as well as the sustainable and equitable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction”.