At Rio+20, Oceans Protections a Positive Step; More Action Needed

RIO DE JANEIRO (June 19, 2012) – After delegates to the Rio+20 Earth Summit finalized the United Nations text regarding protection of our oceans, Natural Resources Defense Council International Program Director Lisa Speer made the following statement:

“The positive steps contained in the text on plastic pollution, ocean acidification, fishing subsidies and overfishing - if vigorously implemented - will help reverse the decline of our oceans.

“We are exceedingly disappointed that no decision was reached to negotiate a new agreement for the conservation and management of biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions. But the acknowledged urgency for moving forward on this critical biodiversity issue is at least a step forward.”

OTHER RESOURCES: 

On OCEAN ACIDIFICATION, please see:

* NRDC’s Web site on acidification here:  http://www.nrdc.org/oceans/acidification/

* Our press release on acidification here: http://www.nrdc.org/media/2012/120617.asp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NRDCPressReleases+(NRDC+Press+Releases)

* NRDC oceans program director Sarah Chasis’s blog here: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/schasis/rapidly_changing_seas_ocean_ac.html

On PLASTIC POLLUTION IN OUR OCEANS, please see:
* NRDC’s Web site dedicated to plastic pollution here: http://www.nrdc.org/oceans/plastic-ocean/

* Details on our campaign to end plastics in our oceans here: http://stopplasticpollution.org/

* NRDC oceans advocate Leila Monroe’s blog on plastics and oceans here: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/lmonroe/at_rios_giant_trash_dump_prote.html

On HIGH SEAS MARINE SANCTUARIES , please see:

* NRDC international oceans program director Lisa Speer’s blog here: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/lspeer/

For an overview of all of NRDC’s oceans-related priorities at Rio+20, please see http://www.nrdc.org/international/rio-2012/oceans.asp

NRDC has several oceans experts at Rio+20 who can explain and discuss these and other oceans-related issues in detail.

To arrange interviews or for more information, please contact me at bkeefe@nrdc.org or 202.650.4625 or (+55) 2135455400 ext.1256. Email works best.  You can also contact Kate Slusark in New York at kslusark@nrdc.org or 212.727.4592.