National Marine Week, celebrated from July 24 to August 8, presents us in all of us in Hastings and Rye with a unique opportunity to better understand and care for the oceans, with a special focus the UK’s own seas. These vast, interconnected bodies of water play a pivitol role in sustaining life on our planet, supporting an incredible diversity of sea creatures and plantlife, including those off our own coast. Oceans are more than just water; they are a gigantic ecosystem extending across over 70% of the Earth's surface. This awe-inspiring expanse produces roughly half of the oxygen we breathe and is home to a staggering 80% of the world's biodiversity of over 80,000 species. Its significance to both humanity and nature is profound.
The all-party Parliamentary groups for Coastal Communities and the Ocean, which I chair, recently organised a joint briefing session on ocean literacy, aiming to enhance understanding of the ocean’s influence on us and our impact on it. National Marine Week provides an opportunity to raise awareness and educate people about the oceans' vitality and the urgent need for their protection. While it's heartening that over 80% of people in the UK recognise the importance of protecting our seas, there remains a knowledge gap regarding the significant changes affecting marine ecosystems. To foster a culture of ocean conservation, we must understand the profound cultural, economic, and social connection our communities share with the sea and how our actions impact its environment.
Pollution, encompassing sewage, plastics, and chemicals, poses a grave threat to marine life. Simultaneously, climate change exacerbates these challenges through rising sea levels, warming temperatures, and acidification, leading to disruptions in marine ecosystems. Our Government is taking bold, achievable actions to address these issues, including setting legally-binding targets to reduce chemical and nutrient pollution by water companies. We are implementing bans on single-use plastics, which will extend to include plastic-containing wet wipes, and we are creating Marine Protected Areas to halt unsustainable fishing practices that deplete fish populations and disrupt the food chain. It is worth noting that our local fishermen, utilising under 10-metre fishing boats, are renowned for their sustainable practices.
Each of us can make a significant contribution to protect our seas. By reducing our plastic usage and refraining from flushing personal hygiene products, wet wipes, cooking fat, and grease down our drains, we can prevent plastic waste and harmful substances from reaching the ocean. Opting for locally fished and sustainably sourced seafood over expensive imports supports responsible fishing practices and preserves marine life. Active participation in local beach clean-ups and ocean protection projects empowers communities to play an essential role in conserving our marine ecosystems.
In and out of Parliament, I champion the importance of adapting the way we live, along with implementing land and ocean nature-based solutions, as crucial to mitigate the effects of climate change. As we strive for a 'net zero' future, forcing singular solutions like electric cars or Ultra Low Emission Zones disproportionately impacts the least well-off. By embracing nature-based solutions, funded in large part by the private sector, we can - cost efficiently - restore and protect biodiversity by harnessing the power of nature. These solutions also bolster communities' resilience against environmental challenges and open new economic opportunities, proving that environmental conservation and economic growth can go hand in hand.
To drive sustainable economic growth in coastal areas like Hastings and Rye, I am calling on the Government to focus on the 'blue economy' and invest in scientific research and monitoring. Facilitating private sector investment, especially in blue carbon (capturing carbon in the world's ocean and coastal ecosystems) and other ocean-based solutions, requires clear regulations, financial incentives, and public-private partnerships. By implementing supportive policies and frameworks, we can attract private investment, nurturing the blue economy and preserving marine ecosystems while empowering communities like Hastings and Rye to achieve a better, sustainable future.
As we celebrate National Marine Week, let us remember that our oceans are not just a resource to be exploited but a lifeline we must protect for ourselves and future generations. Working together and fostering a culture of conservation, we can secure a vibrant and resilient future for our coastal communities, our seas and our planet.