Canadian Youth STATEMENT for #OceanHealth

The United Nations Association in Canada has combined its successful empathy-based learning approach with a business school case competition to create The New Diplomacy of Natural Resources forum. The New Diplomacy convenes youth scholars and professionals with leaders from the private sector, environmental NGOs, Indigenous groups and government. We have engaged in a multi-sectoral stakeholder simulation to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing our oceans today.

Join us!

We, the New Diplomats of Natural Resources, launch this Open Letter. This Letter outlines priorities that young people feel must be addressed to support our oceans.

We demand that our leaders and decision makers recognize the need to:

• Designate land and water as a Being;
• Improve access to oceans databases to promote transparency on scientific developments;
• Promote ocean literacy by raising awareness in schools and supporting teachers;
• Develop an international agreement, similar to the Paris Agreement (2016), specifically related to oceans;
• Emphasizing and recognizing the need for communication of perspectives and values between all stakeholders, including but not limited to, Indigenous communities, environmental NGOs, industries and governments by adopting a top-down and bottom-up collaboration;
• In the case of Indigenous groups, acknowledging the need for strong partnerships by affirming their rights, ensuring data sovereignty, equitable ownership, and to enable innovative solutions for improved ocean stewardship practices;
• Recognizing, communicating, and implementing synergies amongst all stakeholder
  groups by working together in deep collaboration and partnerships at every step of the process;
• Recognizing place-based scientific and traditional knowledge in fisheries and ocean management;
• Integrate all stakeholders in planning and management across all fisheries and oceans management policies and programs;
• Conserve existing fish populations and biodiversity such that they are able to regenerate and rebuild, while maintaining the livelihoods of those who rely on fish in a sustainable manner;
• Conserve and rebuild biodiversity while respecting the diversity of perspectives; and,
• Prioritize factual evidence rather than profit when implementing policies while
  recognizing local knowledge (scientific and traditional) in fisheries and ocean
  management.

New Diplomacy of Natural Resources    Contact the author of the petition