EU – US Conference Series: “Sustainable Oceans: Reconciling Economic Use and Protection,” Hamburg
- Dräger Foundation,in cooperation with the Earth Institute of Columbia University in New York and with support of the European Commission, held a conference entitled, “Sustainable Oceans: Reconciling Economic Use and Protection” in Hamburg on July, 2011 in the form of a high-level expert conference, bringing together about 100 international participants from politics, business, academia, international organizations and NGOs. EU Arctic Forum Secretary General addressed the audience on the special situation in the Arctic Ocean.
One of the key questions was how could the oceans be researched and their resources utilized while at the same time protecting them from the consequences of unfettered exploitation. This problem is especially prominent with regard to the Arctic Ocean, where rapidly retreating sea ice has opened many possibilities for commercial exploitation of the continental shelf and marine space.
The conference delegates claimed that unregulated exploitation of ocean waters would be hundred times more expensive for society than sustainable protection. Participants called for rapid international agreements and concrete measures to be put in place for the protection of the oceans, urging that this need to be given priority over national interests. Experts argued that all measures necessary to protect the oceans could be financed with the introduction of an internationally valid “Sea Tax,” which would be payable by anyone making use of the oceans.
