As new MEPs set sail for Brussels, they should consider adopting a European oceans deal

Newly elected and re-elected MEPs begin their term in Brussels, setting up the European Parliament’s committees before a well-earned summer break – perhaps somewhere along the coast to relax or perhaps to enjoy a mocktail on the beach.

For now, amidst the bustling corridors and while navigating the currents of parliamentary sessions, are the EU’s new decision-makers sensing the profound environmental changes lurking beneath the surface?

The European Environment Agency said the risks to coastal and marine ecosystems were the most severe on the continent, requiring urgent action. Europe is already experiencing rising sea levels and record heat, with the three hottest years on record since 2020.

Europe’s sea surface temperatures, which reached up to 5.5°C above average last year, are not just a coastal concern. The impacts are felt far beyond the coastline and the millions of people employed in the EU’s blue economy. Human health and food supply chains, for example, are being affected across the continent.

Yet no decisive action has been taken to mitigate or adapt to the effects of climate change. Given that the marine territories of the EU Member States constitute the largest maritime area on the planet, this lack of action is almost absurd.

Putting aside what is dear to us

It’s easy to take the ocean for granted. We admire the beauty of its colorful plants and charismatic animals in countless documentaries, we feast on its seaside delicacies that never seem to leave store shelves or menus no matter how far inland we are, we seek solace on its tranquil shores in the summer, and we experience an inexplicable sense of calm when we bathe in a sunrise or sunset on its horizon.

Behind these picture-postcard moments lies a complex web of life that supports creatures underwater and on land.

The ocean is home to 80% of all life on our planet, produces half of its oxygen, regulates the climate, absorbs more than 90% of the heat caused by our emissions, and is a vital source of food and livelihoods for nearly half of the world’s population.

Despite its undeniable importance, the ocean remains largely neglected in European policies and public consciousness. Marine issues are often sidelined from political debates and environmental agendas; many institutional bodies and parliamentary committees need to revise laws because there are no dedicated ocean decision-making authorities; and blue sea conservation efforts remain much less funded and fragmented than their green counterparts.

The EU has two faces: it is a global ocean power but has no global political vision on marine issues.

European leaders recently agreed on a strategic plan for the coming years, committing to protecting nature and reversing the destruction of ecosystems, including our oceans. This commitment sounds promising on paper, but how will they put it into practice?

An ecosystem approach to policy making

The numbers are clear: Europe is on the brink of irreparable damage to the planet’s largest ecosystem. With its demise, we will lose the common resources we depend on for food, defence and climate change mitigation. Fundamental change is urgently needed.

A comprehensive legal framework that ensures greater coherence between existing and new policies on fisheries, transport, nature protection and restoration, energy and sustainable tourism, and that goes beyond maritime activities – an oceans agreement – ​​could make a real difference.

Just as there is only one ocean, it is time for the EU’s various maritime policies to be addressed from a single perspective while better reflecting land-sea interactions. More specifically, we need an ecosystem approach to policy-making: one that puts nature at its heart and prioritises the rights of future generations to a clean and healthy ocean.

By considering the diverse perspectives of all stakeholders across industry, communities, academia and civil society, and paying due attention to the cumulative impacts of our land and sea activities (for better and for worse), more effective and equitable strategies will emerge.

This will ensure the health, livelihoods, food security and well-being of EU citizens in a fair and equitable way. We need an ambitious ocean agenda that helps societies and ecosystems adapt and recover in a changing climate.

The largest ecosystem on our planet deserves it

Ultimately, the ocean’s resilience is intimately linked to our own, and to neglect it would be a disservice to ourselves and all life on Earth.

As the main custodian of the planet’s largest ecosystem, the EU urgently needs a proactive blue approach to climate action to halt the degradation of marine life and preserve its blue economy.

As decision-makers chosen by EU citizens set sail in Brussels, it is essential that they recognise the central role the ocean plays in our well-being – both physical and economic – and make it a strategic and political priority.

Adopting an Oceans Pact is not an option. It is an urgent necessity to preserve our blue planet, ensure socio-economic stability and ensure a prosperous future for generations to come.

Dr Antonia Leroy is Head of EU Ocean Policy at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

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