Latest news with #SAHAV
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
India calls for urgent global action to protect ocean, commits to early ratification of High Seas Treaty
Image used for representative image NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday called for urgent global action on ocean health at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, with Union minister of earth sciences Jitendra Singh urging the international community to invest in innovation, ratify the 'High Seas Treaty', and finalise a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. 'The ocean is our shared heritage and responsibility,' said Singh, expressing India's readiness to work with all stakeholders - govts, the private sector, civil society, and indigenous communities - to ensure a sustainable ocean future. He was delivering the country's statement at the conference. One of the core objectives of the five-day conference, which is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, is to help bring into force the landmark 'High Seas Treaty' - Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement - adopted in 2023 to safeguard life in international waters through long-term protection of marine biodiversity in the high seas. Once ratified by 60 countries, it will become law of the sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Fifty members (49 countries and the EU) have already submitted their ratifications, while 15 others, including India, committed to doing it soon, paving the way for its coming into force in the next four months. Singh, while addressing the conference, also highlighted the multiple measures being taken by India in sync with its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water, and outlined how the country's initiatives are aimed at reversing ocean degradation through science, innovation, and inclusive partnerships. He shared the progress made on India's Deep Ocean Mission and its 'Samudrayaan' project, which is expected to deploy the country's first manned submersible by 2026. The project aims to explore ocean depths up to 6,000 meters and is seen as a major leap in India's scientific capability. A nationwide ban on single-use plastic items of high littering potential, implementation of over $80 billion worth of 'Blue Economy' projects, supporting a legally binding global plastics treaty, and the launch of the 'SAHAV' digital ocean data portal are some of the initiatives which found prominence in the minister's speech at the global forum. The SAHAV portal - a GIS-based decision support system - works as a tool to empower policymakers, researchers, and communities with real-time spatial data, enabling smarter planning and stronger marine resilience. Singh also spoke of expanding India's marine protected areas, which now cover 6.6% of the Exclusive Economic Zone, contributing to global biodiversity goals. He underlined that India has integrated ocean-based climate actions into its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
India pushes for Global Ocean Pact, launches data portal at UN meet
In 2024, the Potsdam Institute's Planetary Health Check warned that ocean acidity could soon become the seventh planetary boundary to be breached Puja Das Delhi Calling for urgent global action on ocean health, Union earth sciences minister Jitendra Singh, at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, Paris, on Tuesday, pushed for a global ocean pact and launched SAHAV—a digital ocean data portal—to promote transparent, science-based ocean management, according to an official statement. The Ocean Pact is a comprehensive strategy to better protect the ocean, promote a thriving blue economy, and support the well-being of people living in coastal areas. This comes against the backdrop of mounting ocean challenges, including climate change, pollution, and overexploitation of marine resources, which require collective and urgent action. Global mean ocean pH has been steadily declining at rates not seen for at least the past 26,000 years, making the ocean more acidic. The ocean is, on average, about 4% more acidic than it was in 2015. This also assumes significance as the summers of 2023 and 2024 saw nearly 3.5 times the number of marine heatwave days compared to the average. There were also extreme and record-breaking heatwaves in 2022. Half of the marine heatwaves since 2000 would not have occurred without global warming, and they now last three times as long as they did in 1940. India also backed the swift ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement and advocated for a legally binding global plastics treaty. Calling for a robust Nice Ocean Action Plan, Singh urged the international community to invest in innovation, ratify the BBNJ Agreement, and finalise the plastics treaty. 'The ocean is our shared heritage and responsibility,' he said, expressing India's readiness to work with all stakeholders—governments, private sector, civil society, and indigenous communities—to ensure a sustainable ocean future. The BBNJ Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, is an international agreement aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (the high seas). It is the third implementing agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The treaty aims to establish a comprehensive framework for managing marine resources and biodiversity in the high seas, addressing issues such as degradation, sustainable use, and benefit-sharing. The treaty is also essential to achieving the global 30x30 target—an international pledge to protect 30% of the planet's land and sea by 2030. It creates a legal process for countries to establish marine protected areas in the high seas, including rules for destructive activities such as deep-sea mining and geo-engineering. It also establishes a framework for technology-sharing, funding mechanisms, and scientific collaboration among countries. Crucially, decisions under the treaty will be made multilaterally through conferences of parties (COPs), rather than by individual countries acting alone.
United News of India
2 days ago
- Science
- United News of India
India pushes for global ocean pact at UN summit
New Delhi, June 10 (UNI) India on Tuesday made a powerful pitch for global ocean pact at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), even as Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the country's leadership in deep-sea exploration, marine plastic reduction, and sustainable coastal development. Addressing the international gathering, Dr. Singh showcased India's ambitious Deep Ocean Mission, including the upcoming deployment of its first manned submersible, Samudrayaan, by 2026. He also emphasised India's national ban on single-use plastics, progress on the Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar campaign, and the launch of the SAHAV digital ocean data portal, signaling India's rising influence in marine science and governance, according to a Union Science and Technology Ministry's statement. The Minister dwelled in details about the USD 80 billion port-led projects under the Sagarmala Programme as well as USD 2.5 Billion Fisheries Investment through the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The Minister also said that as a green initiative to combat climate change threats, 6.6% of EEZ has been declared marine protected areas to support biodiversity goals, the statement added. 'Also, since 2022, over 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste removed from coastlines while 10,000 plus hectares of mangroves and nature-based shoreline solutions have been restored,' said the Minister. He also called on global leaders to ratify the BBNJ Agreement, finalize a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, and adopt a bold Nice Ocean Action Plan to accelerate action for SDG-14: Life Below Water. Dr. Singh underscored the urgent need for science-driven, inclusive global partnerships. "The ocean is our shared heritage and responsibility. India stands ready to collaborate across sectors and borders for a sustainable ocean future," he declared. India also played a prominent role in global dialogues—co-leading Blue Talks with France and Costa Rica, and hosting high-level side sessions on marine spatial planning and climate-resilient coasts, he added. UNI AJ SSP
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
India calls for global action on ocean health, showcases over $80 billion worth projects
New Delhi: India on Tuesday called for urgent global action on ocean health at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France. At the conference, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh pushed for global ocean pact and unveiled major strides in deep-sea exploration, marine plastic clean-up, and sustainable fisheries. Dr Singh highlighted progress on the Deep Ocean Mission's upcoming manned submersible, a nationwide single-use plastic ban, and over $80 billion worth of the 'Blue Economy' projects. India also backed the swift ratification of the BBNJ Agreement, advocated for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, and launched the 'SAHAV' digital ocean data portal, underscoring its growing leadership in global marine governance. Addressing the conference, which is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, Dr Singh reaffirmed India's commitment to 'Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water'. He outlined how India's initiatives are aimed at reversing ocean degradation through science, innovation, and inclusive partnerships. A key highlight was the progress on the Deep Ocean Mission's 'Samudrayaan' project, which is expected to deploy India's first manned submersible by 2026. The project aims to explore ocean depths up to 6,000 metres and is seen as a major leap in India's scientific capability. Dr Singh also spoke of expanding India's Marine Protected Areas, which now cover 6.6 per cent of the Exclusive Economic Zone, contributing to global biodiversity goals. On marine pollution, the Minister pointed to tangible outcomes from the 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar' campaign, which has cleaned over 1,000 km of India's coastline and removed more than 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste since 2022. The draft marine litter policy has been prepared, and India continues to support negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty aimed at a legally binding international framework. India's Blue Economy efforts, led by the Sagarmala Programme and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), were also showcased. Emphasizing climate resilience, Dr. Singh noted the restoration of over 10,000 hectares of mangroves and the implementation of shoreline management plans using nature-based solutions. India has also integrated ocean-based climate actions into its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
