I recently returned from an inspiring journey with Greenpeace into the heart of the Sargasso Sea. As delegates gather in Baku for COP29 to discuss advancing the United Nations Ocean Treaty, I find myself reflecting on this experience and the ongoing campaign to protect the blue spaces around Bermuda and beyond.
My journey was not just a return to the sea, a place that feels like home, but a vivid reminder of what we are fighting for: the preservation of our oceans and the unique ecosystems within them, like the Sargasso Sea, on which Bermuda so heavily depends. This region is not only geographically unique but also deeply symbolic of the environmental and socio-political challenges facing small island developing states.
For the treaty to come into force, 60 nations, including wealthy, developed ones like Britain, must ratify it. Yet Bermuda, like most small island developing states, has no say in the ratification of the treaty; we have no power in the decision-making process that directly affects our future.
The Sargasso Sea is a vital hub for migratory species, serving as a unique ecosystem of breeding and feeding grounds for diverse marine species such as whales, eels, turtles, and various fish, all of which rely on the Sargasso Sea at different stages of their life cycles. This unique ecosystem is essential for supporting global biodiversity, underscoring the need to preserve the Sargasso Sea to maintain these critical migratory patterns.