SEA Pledge

SEACC SF is working in partnership with the Sustainable Seas Trust to push forward the SEA Pledge Project, which looks at issues of marine conservation, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, job creation and environmental awareness. Below is a brief description of the SEA Pledge project. However, for more information visit the SST website @ <www.sst.org.za> 

The following are the objectives of SEA Pledge: 

The first is to promote public awareness of the need to take better care of coasts and oceans as everyone, everywhere depends upon the oceans.

The second goal is to influence global decisions. The 3rd December 2011 is the day on which oceans will feature in the UNFCCC COP 17 meeting in Durban, South Africa. In a positive wholesome manner the SEA Pledges and the associated “fun activities”, through their numbers (similar to a petition), good ideas, novel suggestions and resolutions, aim to send important messages to delegates at COP 17 in order to encourage greater, wiser international investment in coasts and oceans and to encourage the United Nations Assembly to declare 2012 the International Year of Coasts and Oceans.

The third is to challenge each person, organization and institution to develop an ethic of sustainability and pledge to take active, measurable steps to improve their interactions with the environment at home, while travelling, diving, sailing, surfing, on ships, angling and indeed in every walk of life.

The fourth is to help others, particularly impoverished coastal people who eke out unsustainable, subsistence livelihoods from rapidly diminishing resources. Such support will be through development of Sustainable Education and Skills Centres (SEAS Centres) for employment. These are being designed as totally green, carbon neutral, welcoming facilities to enable disadvantaged people to build expertise to find employment, reduce pressure on critically depleted marine resources and adapt to climate change.

SEA Pledge will draw attention of global leaders to the role of oceans in climate change and the need for action. At the grass roots level, all funds accumulated by SEA Pledge will be used for SEAS Centres in impoverished coastal areas to provide education and skills training for employment in order to reduce poverty, promote environmental conservation and prepare people to adapt to climate change. Everyone should make a SEA Pledge and contribute to the crusade.