Fijian Prime Minister Hon. Voreqe Bainimarama today called for a new relationship of people with the ocean, one that relies on stewardship rather than exploitation.
In remarks at the High Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economies, held in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister said, “A sustainable ocean economy is not a choice, it is an imperative. We must rethink and transform the way we operate our economies—and in one sense, the way we live our lives—if we are to roll back the damage being done to our climate and our ocean and become proper stewards of these delicate resources.”
“We all must recapture and nurture that respectful relationship we once had with the ocean,” he said. “We need a change of heart as well as a shift in mindset—about how we will live with the resources we were given.”
The Prime Minister called for a global process that aligns local and national commitments with international targets.