EU and China joins hands to protect the oceans for the next generation

(European Union Ambassador to China Hans Dietmar Schweisgut speaks at the event)

The “Blue Earth” beach clean-up event was held today by the European Union Delegation to China and the State Oceanic Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SOA) as part of the EU-China Blue Year. Representatives from the European Union and China, two of the world’s leading maritime actors, joined hands at Dongjiang Port Beach in Tianjin to highlight their responsibility for protecting the oceans for future generations.

(European Union Ambassador to China Hans Dietmar Schweisgut works with Chief Engineer Lv Caixia from the State Oceanic Administration to clean the beach)

This one-day environmental conservation event began as over 200 volunteers, including representatives of the European Union Delegation to China and SOA, along with supporters from China National Offshore Oil Corporation and China Society for Oceanography, as well as students from the Tianjin Minhou Road Elementary School, Tianjin Nankai District Huaxia Elementary School, Tianjin No. Fourteen Middle School, Tianjin Haihe Middle School, Tianjin Binhai Foreign Language School, and Nankai University Costal City School, assembled on the beach to clean litter.

Participants shared the determination of their organisations and countries in preserving marine resources and unleashing the oceans’ potential for innovation and growth. European Union Ambassador to China Hans Dietmar Schweisgut concluded his welcome speech by saying, “The question we need to answer is after all very simple: Do we want oceans where there are more plastic bottles than fishes? The answer is obvious, so let's get down to work!”

Chief Engineer Lv Caixia from the SOA also commented on this partnership, stating, “To improve sea water quality and restore health in our marine ecosystems, we need help from all citizens, and it is with efforts from all citizens can we do good to the ocean and benefit from the ocean.”

(student volunteers participating in the beach clean up event)

One highlight of the event was the passing on of responsibilities to the next generation. Inspired by the EU-China collaboration, students from the Tianjin schools volunteered to perform a vow by the ocean, pledging to protect it from the negative impacts of human activity. The movie A Plastic Ocean, a documentary made possible by the Plastic Oceans Foundation, was also screened at the event to educate participants, especially children, regarding plastic pollution and the fragile state of oceans around the world. A tour of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel was also arranged, helping participants to see blue energy at work first-hand.

This event was also a prelude for the Our Ocean 2017 conference (Hashtag: #OurOcean), to be held in Malta on 5-6 October. At the conference, global leaders will unveil new initiatives and reaffirm their determination to safeguard our oceans. Zooming in on the marine litter issue, the EU has previously engaged in a series of initiatives to reduce marine litter as part of the Circular Economy Action Plan, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Port Reception Facilities Directive, the International Ocean Governance initiative, and more.