Preface
This year, the world’s policymakers will gather at the UNFCCC COP 30 in Brazil. The aim will be to deliver more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement. Another key objective will be the adoption of indicators that match the 11 targets of the 2023 Global Goal on Adaptation Framework.
The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) would like to remind the negotiators of how critical fisheries are to climate mitigation and adaptation. Namely, ICFA points to (1) the fisheries sector’s contribution to mitigating climate change; and (2) the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems and fish stocks. Related to both is the critical role blue foods play in global food security and nutrition.
Resolution
Whereas the fisheries sector contributes to the fight against climate change as fisheries products/blue foods have one of the lowest carbon footprints amongst animal proteins. Therefore, increasing the share of fisheries products/blue foods in the global diet will contribute significantly to lowering the carbon intensity of the global food system and facilitate achieving several SDGs such as SDG 2 “Zero hunger”, SDG 3 “Good health and well-being”, SDG 12 “Responsible consumption and production”, SDG 13 “Climate action” and SDG 14 “Life below water”;
Whereas climate change impacts marine ecosystems, fish stocks, and the activities at sea and its consequences such as rise of temperature, acidification, eutrophication, sea level rise, migration of species are intensifying;
Whereas these climate impacts directly threaten food security and the socio-economic well-being of many regions of the world and up to a third of the world’s population;
Whereas at COP 30 Parties are expected to deliver more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions and adopt indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation;
Therefore, ICFA calls on the Parties at COP 30 to:
- Recognize that the fisheries sector plays a crucial role in combating climate change, as fisheries products and blue foods have among the lowest carbon footprints of all animal proteins. Implementation of NDCs 3.0 should aim to increase the proportion of these products in the global diet to substantially reduce the carbon intensity of the global food system, contributing significantly to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
- Take fully into consideration the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems, fish stocks and economic activities at seas and encourage all parties to prioritize adaptation strategies to ensure the resilience of ocean and fish resources to these changes. Better adaptation can contribute to the sector’s mitigation potential;
- Bring together policy makers and the economic sectors, including the fisheries sector, to find pragmatic and implementable solutions to tackle climate change and to adapt to its unavoidable effects.
The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) is a coalition of the national fish and seafood industry associations from the world’s major fishing nations. The group was formed in 1988 to provide decision makers a unified voice on global fish and seafood issues. ICFA members are committed to the sustainable use of marine resources for their contribution to global food security. ICFA members are also deeply committed to science based and fully participatory fishery conservation and management practices. Currently, we have 24 seafood industry association members from across the world (Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Latin America). ICFA members participate in various UN meetings in which fisheries issues are discussed and debated ensuring the seafood industry’s voice is heard.
