Stay “current” with ocean issues during the Paris Climate Change Conference! 

The United Nations Climate Change Conference  is taking place right now through Friday, Dec. 11. It is the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) and the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP). United Nations member states will come together to create an international agreement on climate with the goal of keeping warming below 2 degrees Celsius. 

Shockingly, the ocean, one of the planet’s largest players in climate change, is not officially on the COP21 agenda! But efforts are being made to inject the ocean into the climate change discussion. Here are a few ways you can stay current with ocean-related happenings during COP21:

The Ocean and Climate Platform is an alliance of NGOs and research institutes, and has launched a campaign called “Ocean’s Call for Climate” (#oceansforclimate). They have started a petition to put the ocean on the agenda, which you can sign here. 

Dr. Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue Founder/chairperson and National Geographic Explorer in Residence, is the new ambassador for the campaign. She will be attending the conference and is also aiming to bring attention to ocean conservation issues. Dr. Earle will be joined by primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall and will lead a talk on Dec. 7 from 10:30 to 11 a.m. discussing how to abate climate change on land and sea. 

On Thursday, Dec. 3, you can virtually attend the Ocean and Climate Forum for free! The day will be dedicated to learning, exchanging and discussing the interconnections between ocean and climate change through a series of plenary discussion panels, workshops and scientific briefings with high-level sessions. You can register here.

You can also physically attend Ocean Night on Thursday, Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m., at the Arcata Theater Lounge. Join Surfrider Humboldt for never-before-seen local underwater footage, a presentation by MARE and the 1987 Hollywood classic film North Shore. 

Oceans Day will be held Friday, Dec. 4 as part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (on the sidelines of COP21). The goal is to result in a strategic action plan for the oceans and climate change agenda for the next five years. The day will feature reports and policies on oceans and climate, focus on ocean acidification, biodiversity, fisheries and more. 

Last week Surfrider Humboldt asked you to show us how you are giving thanks to the ocean. Here’s the winning photo submission featuring 12-year-old Nate Ferguson, enjoying the ocean’s bounty in Trinidad. How inspiring to see one of today’s youth out in the physical environment instead of stuck in a virtual world! Way to go, Nate! 

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Delia Bense-Kang serves as the Northcoast Environmental Center’s Marine Protected Area Outreach Coordinator and chairs Surfrider Foundation’s Humboldt Chapter.