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106 | THE BLUE GENERATION

ONE YOUTH, ONE OCEAN
“The climate generation”

campaigns for the ocean

They are aged 20 to 35 and live across the globe. They share the same dream: an
ocean that offers life. Monaco Ocean Week champions the voice of young people

lobbying as part of the Ocean Decade.

SUSTAINABLE OCEAN ALLIANCE

THE OCEAN FOR THE FUTURE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE HELM
OF A GLOBAL BLUE NEW
Everything started in a neighbourhood in Washing- DEAL
ton, at Georgetown University, one night in 2014. A
group of students shared the same dorm and the
same dream: “restoring the ocean in our lifetime”. A strategic unit of the SOA, the Youth Policy Advi-
Now, the dream is shared by a whole generation of sory Council was founded to create a platform to
young leaders, entrepreneurs, defenders, students allow young ocean leaders to sit at the table of po-
and pioneers from 165 countries. Sustainable Ocean licy-makers to defend their position. It asks global
Alliance (SOA) is the largest community of young ocean stakeholders to adopt a “Blue New Deal”, a
people committed to the ocean in order to accelerate framework which encompasses young people’s prio-
solutions, cultivate leaders and create a network able rities regarding the ocean. According to a recent SOA
to address the threats which are damaging the wor- study, they are focused on four major concerns: 1)
ld’s biggest ecosystem. creating and maintaining healthy protected areas to
protect biodiversity; 2) reinforcing the sustainable fi-
“As young people, we must proactively defend the shing value chain; 3) making changes to high carbon
UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. But we must emitting industries; 4) consolidating the commitment
also ask the global community to be accountable for to managing natural ocean resources. A commitment
the commitments it has made, notably to our genera- for future generations, the Blue New Deal only asks to
tion, as we are the lead stakeholders of the ocean’s be considered by policy-makers.
health in the future”, explained Marina Porto, Brazilian
student of sustainable environment and co-director
of the SOA’s Youth Policy Advisory Council. Its chair,
the US student Mark Haver, presented its guidelines
during Monaco Ocean Week.