COP29
2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference
From November 11th to 18th 2024, our team joined COP29, the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Baku, Azerbaijan in collaboration with FINS Initiative that invited us to give sharks a voice at the highest summit for climate change.
A voice for the voiceless
Giving sharks a voice at this global stage is critical ! Sharks play a crucial role in maintaining healthy oceans, yet they face relentless threats from overfishing and habitat destruction.
At the conference, we highlighted their importance, raised awareness about these challenges, and shared the steps we’re taking to protect them. Together, we’re fighting to create a future where sharks could thrive, safeguarding the balance of our marine ecosystems.
Key Topics from COP29 on Sharks and Marine Conservation
At COP29, we covered several critical topics to protect marine life, especially sharks:
Raising Awareness to Protect Sharks: We emphasized the importance of sharks in marine ecosystems and the need to dispel misconceptions. Education is key to inspiring public and policy-level action. We highlighted different social media projects we’re leading to fight against these misconceptions.
Overfishing and By-Catch: We addressed how overfishing and accidental by-catch threaten shark populations, calling for stricter regulations.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Their Challenges: While MPAs are vital for safeguarding biodiversity, we discussed the obstacles, such as inadequate enforcement, lack of funding, and ways to improve their effectiveness especially for migratory species traveling outside of the MPAs.
Science and Technology to Protect Sharks: From tracking devices to data analysis, we explored cutting-edge solutions to monitor and protect shark populations and talked about our on-going Mako Shark Tagging Project.
Whale Conservation and Ship Strikes: Protecting marine giants like whales is equally urgent. We discussed strategies to prevent ship strikes, such as speed regulations and rerouting in key habitats.
These topics are essential for creating actionable solutions to protect marine ecosystems for generations to come.
Photo exhibition
At COP29, a powerful indoor and outdoor exhibition showcased the dual realities of marine life: the breathtaking beauty of ocean species and the harsh reality of their threats. Stunning images of vibrant marine ecosystems were juxtaposed with stark, haunting photos of dead sharks, illustrating the urgent need for conservation. We were honored to have several photographs of our founders Zimy & Gail featured in this exhibition, helping to shine a light on both the magnificence of marine life and the devastating impact of human activity.
It was a poignant reminder of what’s at stake and why we must act now to protect our oceans.
