The world's first underwater climate strike has taken place in the heart of the Indian Ocean. Climate scientist and advocate Shaama Sandooyea dived off the Saya de Malha Shoal, a climate hotspot 735 km off the coast of the Seychelles, which is home to a vast amount of marine life at its feet.
📷Tommy Trenchard-Greenpeace/Reuters
Sandooyea, 24, shouted "Youth strike for climate" and "Nou Reklam Lazistis Klimatik", which in Mauritian means "We demand climate justice", under the water with his banners. With this protest he joins young people and climate activists from all over the world in the framework of the FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE climate strike on 19 March 2021.
The marine scientist is currently on a fact-finding mission to study the biodiversity of the area and to show the importance of healthy oceans in coping with climate disruption. "We cannot continue to mistreat marine life in the climate crisis," said Sandooyea."said Sandooyea. His aim was to convey a simple message: the need for change for climate action as soon as possible. Together with other FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE activists from all over the world, he is claiming the seriousness of the climate crisis.
"Reducing emissions and protecting our oceans are some of the best ways to do this. Being from an island nation, I know first-hand how important healthy oceans are, not just for our climate, but for the billions of people who depend on them. That's why world leaders must commit to creating a network of ocean reserves that will protect at least 30% of our seas and oceans. We need urgent action if we are serious about people's lives, fighting climate collapse and protecting wildlife." - Shaama Sandooyea.
Sandooyea's protest was made possible with the help of the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, as part of an expedition studying this important but under-researched area. The Saya de Malha Shoal is known to contain the largest seagrass meadow in the world, one of the most important sources of carbon dioxide absorption on the planet. The area is also rich in wildlife, including sharks and blue whales. As a fish spawning ground, it also plays an important role in sustaining the diet of millions of people in the region's coastal communities.
Some predecessors in the struggle:
In September 2020, also as part of the FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE mobilisations, young activist Mya Rose Craig staged a climate strike on Arctic ice to show the impact of the climate crisis on the melting ocean ice. Healthy oceans store huge amounts of carbon, which means they offer a key solution in the fight against climate deterioration. Greenpeace is calling for a Global Oceans Treaty to protect at least 30% of the oceans by 2030 through a network of sanctuaries that remain off-limits to human activity, allowing marine ecosystems to build resilience to better resist and combat rapid climate deterioration.
All these young activists are demanding immediate, concrete and ambitious action from world leaders, as the climate crisis continues unabated and continues apace. It seems that March stood out for the actions around the fight against climate change, so why not continue the fight this new month?