Summary
In September 2023, the Prime Minister of Cabo Verde introduced a resolution on Ocean Rights principles to the United Nations during the Ocean Race Summit, which was held during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. The short term ambition of the principles was to serve as a foundation for the inclusion of Ocean Rights in the 2023 United Nations Omnibus Resolution on ‘Oceans and Law of the Seas.’ The long term goal is the adoption of a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights by the United Nations by 2030.
In addition, a petition for a Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Oceans was presented to the members of the United Nations General Assembly, which contained more than 32,000 signatures from 178 countries.
Prime Minister of Cabo Verde, said: “Today, we introduce a resolution at the United Nations, proposing the concept of ocean rights. In the face of climate change, biodiversity loss, and ocean pollution, this initiative aims to empower the ocean with a voice in decisions that affect her, strengthening human and economic rights and laying an ethical foundation for a sustainable future.”
The proposal did not gain the necessary consensus to be adopted. On 5 December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution 78/69: Oceans and the law of the sea, which did not contain ocean rights provisions.
The resolution was developed by the Government of Cabo Verde, in collaboration with The Ocean Race, Ocean Vision Legal, and the Earth Law Center.
Impact Statement
While the initiative was not adopted in 2023, it launched a high-level dialogue on granting ocean rights through multilateralism. Ocean Rights is a legal framework recognizing the ocean’s inherent rights and intrinsic value, first initiated by Michelle Bender in 2017 as a part of the broader Rights of Nature movement.
Involved Organizations
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/cabo-verde-call-for-ocean-rights-in-the-un-omnibus-resolution-on-oceans-and-law-of-the-sea/.
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