Originally issued as a CGS press release on June 8, 2009.
Washington, DC – Citizens for Global Solutions is calling on President Obama to inaugurate World Oceans Day June 8th by taking leadership on the Law of the Sea (LOS) treaty. The first ever World Oceans Day will focus global attention on the challenges facing our oceans, and a coalition of activist groups plan to flood the White House with emails and telephone calls to show their support for the LOS treaty.
The treaty has been in force since 1994, but it has never been ratified by the U.S. Senate. President Obama has emphasized the importance of ratification, but Global Solutions is calling on the president to personally appeal to the nation’s senators to bring the treaty to the Senate floor for a vote.
“The Senate leadership is lined up and ready to go, but they’re waiting for President Obama to lead the parade,” said Citizens for Global Solutions CEO Don Kraus. “The U.S. already complies with all provisions of the treaty, so ratification won’t require any changes in U.S. policy or law. By failing to ratify the treaty, we’ve prevented ourselves from taking advantage of its benefits, such as the ability to stake claims in the resource-rich Arctic seabed. Joining the treaty will fix this problem and will expand our control over an area larger than the continental U.S.”
The treaty has been endorsed by prominent leaders ranging from former President George W. Bush and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and by organizations ranging from the American Petroleum Institute to the World Wildlife Fund.
“This landmark treaty will ensure that the U.S. maintains its rights to navigate the world’s oceans safely and freely, one of the priorities that drove the U.S. to take a leadership role in the treaty’s development,” said Kraus. “The LOS would also put the U.S. in a much better position to protect marine life, conduct research, and prevent marine pollution. U.S. laws are already strong in these areas and the treaty will ensure that other countries fulfill their obligations to keep the seas clean and safe for future generations.”
Members from at least nine different groups will be mobilizing support for the treaty on June 8, with a campaign of emails, phone calls and postings on the White House Facebook, Twitter and MySpace sites. For more information, go to http://www.globalsolutions.org/action/oceansday, or contact one of the organizations listed below.
PARTIAL LIST OF SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
The Better World Campaign
Coalition for America Leadership Abroad
Citizens for Global Solutions
Center for American Progress
Church Women United
Rule of Law Committee for the Oceans
Friends Committee on National Legislation
National Fisheries Institute
National Maritime Manufacturers Association
Natural Resources Defense Council
The Pew Charitable Trusts
United Nations Association of the USA
The Ocean Project
The Ocean Foundation
