Ocean Justice Forum
STATEMENT: Ocean Justice Leaders Issue Statement on the First-Ever White House Ocean Justice Strategy

Friday, December 8, 2023

Washington, D.C. – The Ocean Policy Committee, chaired by the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Science and Technology Policy, released the first-ever White House Ocean Justice Strategy today in Dubai at the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference. According to the Biden-Harris Administration, the Ocean Justice Strategy is intended to build upon the White House Ocean Climate Action Plan, released in March 2023, to further the vision, goals, and high-level objectives for coordinating and guiding ocean justice activities across the Federal Government while minimizing the impacts of ocean climate inaction to ocean justice communities and those on the frontline of climate change.

The Ocean Justice Forum applauds the Biden-Harris Administration for the advancement of a set of overarching goals, principles, and practices that the federal government can adopt in order to provide long-term, sustainable benefits for people, communities, and the environment, and for incorporating many of the policy priorities identified by the frontline communities.

The new Ocean Justice Strategy establishes a vision for ocean justice that includes equitable access to the benefits of a healthy and resilient ocean; meaningful engagement of all communities in Federal ocean activities; recognition of the value of engagement with Tribal Nations, Indigenous Peoples; and Indigenous Knowledge in ocean decision-making and research; and expands and improves ocean education to build knowledge about the ocean and create a diverse and inclusive ocean workforce. In short, it is a broad outline of the Administration’s priorities for implementing more just ocean policy in government decision making.

In response, members of the Ocean Justice Forum released the following statement:

Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Founder and Executive Director at Azul and Ocean Justice Forum steering committee member:

“The release of the Ocean Justice Strategy recognizes decades of work by ocean advocates while incorporating many priorities identified by frontline and ocean justice communities. Our ocean is the lifeblood of our planet – we must protect it to realize environmental justice, heal our waters and communities, and the sustenance and joy our ocean provides. Azul has been on the frontlines of advocating for the Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize our ocean. With this Ocean Justice Strategy, we see a strong foundation that will serve as the building blocks to addressing the issues plaguing our ocean and the communities that depend on it – as well as advancing a just 30x30 strategy and global plastics treaty."

Colette Pichon-Battle, Vision and Initiatives Partner at Taproot Earth and Ocean Justice Forum steering committee member:

“Ocean Justice means a workforce that starts with safe, living wage, sustainable jobs that center frontline communities who have been historically and currently impacted by the climate crisis and industry. The White House Ocean Justice Strategy moves us closer to a path rooted in accountability that prioritizes people over profit. We look forward to working with the administration in ensuring its commitment to Black and Indigenous leaders and a just and equitable transition.”

Jean Flemma and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Co-Founders at Urban Ocean Lab and Ocean Justice Forum steering committee members:

“The ocean justice strategy makes clear the need for ALL federal agencies to take an equitable and just approach to ocean policy in their decision-making to ensure they are protecting the ocean and the benefits it provides for all while also alleviating the disproportionate burdens placed on ocean justice communities by past decisions. It is incumbent on those agencies to make these policies a reality.”

Dune Lankard, President and Founder at Native Conservancy:

“Our coastal Native communities depend on the ocean and the economic, spiritual and cultural benefits it provides. The White House Ocean Justice Strategy commits to ensuring that ocean policy across the federal government is equitable, effective, and informed by traditional, local and  Indigenous knowledge. We will look toward their future actions to ensure that commitment becomes a reality.”

Ebony Martin, Executive Director of Greenpeace USA:

“President Biden's Ocean Justice Strategy provides marching orders for his administration to step up efforts to ensure our seafood is not tainted with slave labor, and to work for a Global Plastics Treaty that reduces plastic production. We will be working to make sure the Strategy translates into action.” 

Rev. Susan Hendershot, President of Interfaith Power & Light:

“People of faith and conscience believe that we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of Creation and to stand on the side of justice for all. We applaud the adoption of the ocean justice strategy, which makes clear the steps that must be taken in order to protect the sacred oceans and the communities that depend on them.”

Brad Sewell, Senior Director for Oceans at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“The communities most vulnerable to sea level rise, increasingly intense storms, and health effects from port pollution and petrochemical development should not shoulder the burden of the climate crisis. This strategy lays out the framework for agency engagement to ensure forward-thinking and equity-based policies on the future of ocean conservation and usage. Ocean justice is not just about what we do, it’s how we do it and this strategy moves us towards a future where justice is centered.”

Beth Lowell, Vice President for the United States at Oceana: 

“It is often the most vulnerable communities that suffer the greatest impacts from climate change. We celebrate the Biden administration’s commitment to ensure that these voices are heard in future government decisions, and we expect them to act on these goals. Offshore drilling, fisheries management, and reducing plastic pollution are just a few of the areas where these voices and more action are desperately needed.”  

Maraki Tamrat, EarthEcho International Youth Leadership Council Member and Columbia University Kluge Scholar:

“Young people across the world are championing justice as essential to progress on ocean restoration. The White House Ocean Justice Strategy signals the necessary commitment to build an equitable and sustainable future that heals our ocean and all life connected by it. This is the future that young people are working to achieve – as reinforced by the many youth voices speaking up this week in Dubai at COP 28.”

Andres Jimenez, Executive Director at Green 2.0:

“Ensuring the most impacted communities are leading the charge in policy development is a critical component to protecting our ocean. The only way that can happen is through a deliberate effort to ensure that these communities and young people are a key part of this strategy. For the first time, the Ocean Justice Strategy makes this a priority, with a mission to develop a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible federal ocean workforce.”

Angelo Villagomez, Senior Fellow for Conservation at Center for American Progress:

“This strategy is a historic opportunity to center the voices and needs of communities that depend on the ocean, the coasts, and the Great Lakes for their safety, health, and prosperity. The Ocean Justice Strategy will ensure that ocean conservation and management in our country is informed by Indigenous knowledge and values, and that it advances equitable and just practices.”

In September 2022, the Ocean Justice Forum (OJF) released the Ocean Justice Platform, a first-of-its-kind consensus-based policy platform – setting an ambitious and necessary vision for strengthening ocean climate policy, addressing ocean-climate injustices, and building stronger and more resilient coastal communities. The platform presents the environmental movement and policymakers with a new path — one guided by principles of equity, inclusivity, and accountability for a just transition. Earlier this year, during the Federal strategy’s public comment period, nearly 95 percent of the over 16,000 comments submitted to the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Science and Technology Policy mentioned the Ocean Justice Forum platform. 

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The Ocean Justice Forum is a collective of environmental and climate justice, community, Indigenous, and national non-profit organizations who gathered to develop a consensus-based federal ocean policy platform to provide a shared vision of what a just ocean future should look like –one that promotes racial, climate, environmental, and economic justice.

Azul (Ocean Justice Forum Co-Lead)
Ocean Justice Organization, Azul, Issues Statement on the Release of the Nation’s First-Ever Ocean Justice Strategy

The Ocean Justice Strategy was unveiled by White House During COP28 in Dubai

San Diego, California (December 11, 2023) – The following is a statement from Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Founder and Executive Director of Azul, and a member of the Ocean Justice Forum’s Steering Committee, on the Biden-Harris Administration’s release of the first U.S. Ocean Justice Strategy:  

“The release of the Ocean Justice Strategy recognizes decades of work by ocean advocates while incorporating many priorities identified by frontline and ocean justice communities. Our ocean is the lifeblood of our planet – we must protect it to realize environmental justice, heal our waters and communities, and the sustenance and joy our ocean provides. Azul has been on the frontlines of advocating for the Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize our ocean. With this Ocean Justice Strategy, we see a strong foundation that will serve as the building blocks to addressing the issues plaguing our ocean and the communities that depend on it – as well as advancing a just 30x30 strategy and global plastics treaty."

Related: A recent first-of-its-kind National Latinos and the Ocean poll, conducted by Barreto Segura Partners (BSP) Research, for Azul affirms Latino environmental values and stewardship for the ocean – timely given the Administration’s Ocean Justice Strategy release. The poll found the U.S. Latino segment of the country’s electorate is strongly committed to reducing harms to the ocean, seeking government intervention to protect the ocean and support the prevention of plastic pollution, curbing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, and they’re willing to see the nation pay more – and are even willing to pay more themselves – to advance ocean justice. Read remarks by Dr. Jane Lubchenco, as shared by the White House, at Azul’s 2022 poll briefing.

• 86% of U.S. Latinos believe the government has a responsibility to preserve the ocean and public lands for the enjoyment of future generations

• 96% cited environmental issues like pollution and global warming as personally important 

• 92% Latinx voters support doing more to prevent plastic pollution

• 72% of respondents from Spanish-speaking households cited environmental issues as being very important to them compared to only 51% of English-speaking household respondents  

• 89% of U.S. Latinos believe in protecting the environment as a means of protecting their communities

Read what movement leaders, like Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, and allies have to say about the Ocean Justice Strategy, here.

In case you missed it: Latin American leaders, including Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, issued the following statement at the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution’s Third Session in Nairobi, Kenya just last month as 160 nations came together to negotiate a global plastics treaty. Work will continue in Ottawa, Canada in April 2024 ahead of a global goal of establishing a treaty by the end of 2024.

Related Resource: Neglected: Environmental Justice Impacts of Plastic Pollution, a United Nations Environment Programme and Azul report, demonstrates how the entire life cycle of plastics – from source extraction to waste – disproportionately affects marginalized communities and poses obstacles to the full and timely achievement of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.) Report in English and Spanish.

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Azul is a Latinx-led and serving ocean justice organization. It was founded in 2011 to bring Latinx perspectives and participation to ocean conservation and has long advocated for environmental justice and equity at international, national level in the U.S., as well as in the state of California. Learn more at www.azul.org.

Urban Ocean Lab (Ocean Justice Forum Co-Lead)

As a member of the Ocean Justice Forum Steering Committee, Urban Ocean Lab welcomes the Biden Administration’s release of the Ocean Justice Strategy to advance economic, racial, climate, and environmental justice in ocean policy. 

In the United States, 65 million people—20% of the population—live in coastal cities and are exposed to worsening coastal hazards like rising seas, flooding, and erosion. This is also a matter of justice: Nearly 60% of coastal city residents are people of color, 50% are renters, 16% are living in poverty, and 13% are non-citizens (all respectively higher than the national average), and climate impacts are disproportionately borne by historically disadvantaged communities. The Ocean Justice Strategy will provide critical guidance to help safeguard the futures of all urban residents living near the ocean or Great Lakes.

In September 2022, the Ocean Justice Forum released a consensus based federal policy platform that shared a collective vision for achieving just and equitable ocean policy. Earlier this year, many organizations—including environmental justice, community, Indigenous, and national groups—along with hundreds of concerned community members, wrote letters in support of a federal ocean justice strategy. We were heartened to see that, of the 16,000+ comments submitted, nearly 95% referenced the Ocean Justice Platform. It is time to confront deep-rooted inequity with meaningful and just policy action informed by the very communities who have the most at stake.

“The ocean justice strategy makes clear the need for ALL federal agencies to take an equitable and just approach to ocean policy in their decision-making to ensure they are protecting the ocean and the benefits it provides for all while also alleviating the disproportionate burdens placed on ocean justice communities by past decisions. It is incumbent on those agencies to make these policies a reality.”   

- Jean Flemma and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, co-founders of Urban Ocean Lab

Urban Ocean Lab looks forward to continuing our collaborative work at the intersection of social inclusion, ocean stewardship, and justice with coastal communities, our fellow Ocean Justice Forum members, and the Biden Administration.

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Urban Ocean Lab cultivates rigorous, creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy for the future of coastal cities. 

Center for American Progress (Ocean Justice Forum Co-Lead)
STATEMENT: CAP’s Angelo Villagomez Praises White House Ocean Justice Strategy

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Ocean Policy Committee, chaired by the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Science and Technology Policy, released the first ever White House Ocean Justice Strategy. Building upon the White House Ocean Climate Action Plan released earlier this year, the purpose of the new strategy is to further describe the vision, goals, and high-level objectives for coordinating and guiding ocean justice activities across the federal government. It also seeks to minimize the impact of ocean climate action on ocean justice communities and those on the front line of climate change.

In response, Angelo Villagomez, senior fellow for Conservation at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:

This strategy is a historic opportunity to center the voices and needs of communities that depend on the ocean, the coasts, and the Great Lakes for their safety, health, and prosperity. The Ocean Justice Strategy will ensure that ocean conservation and management in our country is informed by Indigenous knowledge and values, and that it advances equitable and just practices.

Earthjustice (Ocean Justice Forum Member)
Earthjustice Statement on First-Ever White House Ocean Justice Strategy Strategy intended to guide ocean justice activities across federal government

December 8, 2023

CONTACTS: Kristin Butler, Earthjustice, kbutler@earthjustice.org, (301) 675-9605

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Ocean Policy Committee, chaired by the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Science and Technology Policy, released the first-ever White House Ocean Justice Strategy today in Dubai at COP28. According to the Biden-Harris administration, the Ocean Justice Strategy is intended to build upon the White House Ocean Climate Action Plan, released in March 2023, to further the vision, goals, and high-level objectives for coordinating and guiding ocean justice activities across the federal government, while minimizing the impacts of ocean climate action to ocean justice communities and those on the frontline of climate change.

As a founding member of the Ocean Justice Forum, Earthjustice joins our partners in celebrating the historic release of the Ocean Justice Strategy today. Associate Legislative Representative Kristin Butler said:

“For the first time, we are seeing the U.S. government acknowledge that we need to center the voices of the coastal communities most impacted by climate change, declining ocean health, and the negative health impacts of industrialization and development. The Ocean Justice Strategy marks a transition towards prioritizing these voices, which often have been systemically excluded from power and under-resourced, across U.S. federal governance. But ocean justice communities, including many of our partners across the country and territories, have been fighting for equity in our oceans for generations. They deserve to see this strategy implemented.”

Read the full release from the Ocean Justice Forum.

Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association

The Ocean Justice Strategy centers policy around those who depend on oceans for their livelihood and way of life.  Our small scale fishing families look forward to working with the Biden Administration to implement ocean conservation strategies that promote resource and community health through place-based stewardship.    

- Linda Behnken, Executive Director, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association

America the Beautiful for All Coalition

Today, the Biden Harris Administration released the first ever White House Ocean Justice Strategy. Building upon the White House Ocean Climate Action Plan released earlier this year, the purpose of the new strategy is to further describe the vision, goals, and high-level objectives for coordinating and guiding ocean justice activities across the federal government. It also seeks to minimize the impact of ocean climate change on those on the frontline of climate change.

Below are statements from the coalition’s Ocean Workgroup Co-Leads:

“The release of the first White House Ocean Justice Strategy is a necessary step forward in our collective efforts to ensure that ocean, coasts and Great Lakes conservation and stewardship is equitable going forward, especially for the Indigenous people who’ve cared for God’s waters for millenia and those who’ve been systematically kept from enjoying God’s marine creation.”

- Helen Smith, Policy Advocate, Creation Justice Ministries, Ocean Workgroup Co-lead

“This strategy is a historic opportunity to center the voices and needs of communities that depend on the ocean, the coasts, and the Great Lakes for their safety, health, and prosperity. The Ocean Justice Strategy will ensure that ocean conservation and management in our country is informed by Indigenous knowledge and values, and that it advances equitable and just practices.”

- Angelo Villagomez, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress, Ocean Workgroup Co-lead

Aquarium Conservation Partnership 
Aquariums Celebrate the Release of the White House Ocean Justice Strategy 

Washington, D.C. - Monday, December 11, 2023 - As the nation’s leading aquariums and zoos working to conserve our ocean and freshwater ecosystems, Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP) members applaud the release of the nation’s first Ocean Justice Strategy. According to the Biden-Harris Administration, the Ocean Justice Strategy is motivated by the recognition that many communities that live near the ocean, depend on marine resources, or are part of the ocean economy face unique circumstances that exacerbate their existing challenges and prevent equitable access to the benefits the ocean provides. It outlines overarching goals, principles, and practices the Federal Government can adopt in order to provide sustainable benefits for people, communities, and the environment. 

Our institutions welcome millions of visitors each year; people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses across urban and rural environments. As trusted institutions that are highly engaged with our surrounding communities as well as local and regional partners, we know we must evolve in order to help realize a world with meaningful involvement of all people in decision-making and to provide equitable access to the benefits of a healthy and resilient ocean. And we are confronting issues of racial, gender, and social equity within our own organizations, across the zoo and aquarium industry, and throughout our conservation work.

Ocean justice derives from environmental justice with a specific focus on communities with environmental justice concerns that rely on the ocean and Great Lakes for economic, cultural, spiritual, and recreational purposes, and food security. The Ocean Justice Strategy builds on the administration’s existing environmental justice commitments and focuses on improving federal government processes, workforce development, capacity building, and the advancement of knowledge to better address injustices faced by coastal and ocean-dependent communities.  It is a good foundation, built with broad public input, that makes clear it is the responsibility of every federal agency to contribute to ocean justice. 

In response, ACP members released the following statements:

“Bravo to the Biden-Harris administration for elevating the importance of ocean justice through their government-wide strategy. For the ocean to flourish, the federal government and all of us who work to restore and protect our ocean need people to thrive in a just and equitable world. We can achieve lasting solutions to ocean health challenges only when communities drive solutions and when policies and laws are shaped by diverse and inclusive participation and leadership. The new ocean justice strategy is an important first step.”

– Julie Packard, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium

“The Aquarium Conservation Partnership and our member aquariums and zoos are committed to elevating and centering the voices and participation of Indigenous and historically excluded communities in conservation, and we look forward to working with the Federal Government to ensure implementation and advancement of the Ocean Justice Strategy,”

- Kim McIntyre, Executive Director, Aquarium Conservation Partnership

“We applaud the release of the Ocean Justice Strategy and its recognition of the unique role that aquariums play in shaping the work and moving from strategy to action. This is a historic step towards centering equity in ocean management and policy, but it is just the beginning. As a leading research and education institution, we will continue to convene, listen to, and amplify the voices of historically excluded people. As a trusted community anchor, Mystic Aquarium will continue to work with our indigenous peoples and underserved communities to provide access and STEM education opportunities for all.”

- Susette Tibus, President & CEO, Mystic Aquarium

"We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration on establishing the nation’s first Ocean Justice Strategy. It is informed by broad public input and makes clear that every federal agency is responsible for contributing to ocean justice. Meaningful and equitable engagement by all communities in ocean decision-making is critically necessary now more than ever on this ocean planet we all share.” 

- Jennifer Driban, Chief Mission Officer at the National Aquarium.

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The Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP) is a coalition of U.S. aquariums working to conserve our ocean and freshwater ecosystems and committed to sustainable practices. As trusted, science-backed institutions that welcome millions of visitors each year, aquariums are uniquely positioned to engage the public in conservation. ACP leverages the collective resources of member institutions across the United States to mobilize audiences, advocate for policy change, and advance conservation at the local, state, and national levels

Creation Justice Ministries
Creation Justice Ministries Statement on the release of the Ocean Justice Strategy

Today, the Council of Environmental Quality and Office of Science and Technology Policy released the first White House Ocean Justice Strategy. This strategy builds on the White House Ocean Climate Action Plan released earlier this year. Co-executive Directors, Karyn Bigelow and Avery Davis Lamb issued the following statement:  

“The release of the first White House Ocean Justice Strategy signals respect and care not only for God’s marine creation, but for those who have both stewarded this creation and been excluded from it. We appreciate the hard work the administration has put into forming a strategy to ensure a just and equitable approach to conserving the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes.”

- Avery Davis Lamb and Karyn Bigelow 

“The release of the first White House Ocean Justice Strategy is a necessary step forward in our collective efforts to ensure that ocean, coasts and Great Lakes conservation and stewardship is equitable going forward, especially for the Indigenous people who’ve cared for God’s waters for millenia and those who’ve been systematically kept from enjoying God’s marine creation.”

- Helen Smith, Policy Advocate, Ocean Workgroup Co-lead

Friends of the Mariana Trench

The Friends of the Mariana Trench welcome and support the White House Ocean Justice Strategy, which aims to ensure equitable access, management, and use of the ocean for all people. We believe that this strategy will benefit the people of the Mariana Islands, who have a deep connection to the ocean and its resources.  The Ocean Justice Strategy will help protect and restore the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, which is home to unique and diverse ecosystems and species.  It will also promote the recognition and inclusion of our Indigenous cultures and knowledge in ocean decision-making and research.  We look forward to working with the federal government and other partners to implement this strategy and achieve ocean justice for our islands and our people. 

GreenLatinos

The inaugural Ocean Justice Strategy (OJS) comes at a critical moment in combating the climate crisis. The ocean protects and provides for us; connecting us through stories and vital relationships that respect and honor life, particularly in our comunidades. GreenLatinos is excited to see that at the core of the OJS is respect for the stewards of our ocean, including coastal communities and environmental justice communities with over a milenia of cultural, historical and spiritual ties to the ocean. The GreenLatinos Water Equity and Ocean Program Team, Val Z. Schull and Maritza Mendoza, released the following statement:

“The OJS elevates the expertise of Indigenous Peoples and Communities of Color, who have been and are most affected by the changes happening in our ocean and climate and as such should be prioritized in any strategy or decision-making related to coastal and ocean activities and benefits. 

The OJS also recognizes the importance of our youth and diversifying the ocean workforce. The OJS outlines that this space must be inclusive and provide equitable career and workforce opportunities, as highlighted by committing to eliminating reliance on unpaid internships. The diligent efforts of our communities in ocean stewardship warrant just compensation. By centering historically and currently excluded communities, we envision their seamless integration into the workforce, ensuring that they are not merely exploited for their invaluable knowledge, but rather recognized and remunerated for their essential contributions.

Finally, the OJS stresses how crucial interagency coordination is to achieving the objectives of advancing equitable ocean climate action through the collective efforts of the federal government. GreenLatinos looks forward to working with the Administration to move this strategy forward in 2024 and beyond.”

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Healthy Ocean Coalition
The HOC Applauds the Biden Administration’s Commitment to Climate Justice, Release of Ocean Justice Strategy

On Friday, December 8, the White House Council on Environmental Quality and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released the first-ever Ocean Justice Strategy, which builds on the Administration’s existing environmental justice commitments by proposing equitable and just practices to advance safety, health, and prosperity for communities residing near the ocean, the coasts, and the Great Lakes. This is a critical milestone for our pursuit to implement just and equitable ocean policy.

In response, Jenna Valente, Director of Advocacy for the Healthy Ocean Coalition, issued the following statement:

“The Healthy Ocean Coalition is heartened by the release of the nation’s first-ever Ocean Justice Strategy. By prioritizing justice and equity, this initiative acknowledges the disproportionate impact of human-caused climate change on the most vulnerable communities, and emphasizes the dire need for inclusive, locally led, and sustainable solutions. We’re looking forward to working alongside our partners in this work and the Biden Administration to ensure this strategy moves off the page and is implemented mindfully. We thank the Biden Administration for taking this crucial step forward in addressing the pressing challenges we face in achieving ocean climate justice.”  

Marine Conservation Institute

“Marine Conservation Institute supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s first ever Ocean Justice Strategy released this week in Dubai. Equity and justice are integral to effective marine conservation. All people and communities, particularly those that have been historically but also contemporarily marginalized, are essential to our mission of protecting the ocean for those of us on the planet now, and for future generations. We hope the Ocean Justice Strategy contributes to a future in which our thriving biodiverse ocean benefits a diverse human population that is fully involved in and committed to marine conservation.”

- Dr. Lance Morgan, President, Marine Conservation Institute

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
STATEMENT ON THE FIRST EVER NATIONAL OCEAN JUSTICE STRATEGY

Silver Spring, Md. – December 8, 2023 – The Biden-Harris Administration released the first-ever U.S. Ocean Justice Strategy to advance environmental justice for communities that rely on the ocean and Great Lakes for economic, cultural, spiritual, recreational, and food security purposes.

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation President and CEO Joel R. Johnson releases the following statement:

The Blue Economy should be open to everyone. A healthy ocean is a right and key to protecting nature and people. The National Ocean Justice Strategy, created by and with the people who will benefit from environmental justice, should forever guide how we make marine protected areas.

The National Ocean Justice Strategy elevates the multi-use nature of our ocean and great lakes so disenfranchised people’s history and culture, as well as their economic opportunity, is better protected.

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The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, established in 2000, is the official non-profit partner of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The Foundation directly supports America’s national marine sanctuaries through our mission to protect species, conserve ecosystems and preserve cultural and maritime heritage. We accomplish our mission through community stewardship and engagement programs, on-the-water conservation projects, public education and outreach programs, and scientific research and exploration. The Foundation fosters innovative projects that are solution-oriented, scalable and transferable, and develop strategic partnerships that promote the conservation and recovery of species and their habitats. Learn more at marinesanctuary.org.

National Ocean Protection Coalition
NOPC Statement on the White House release of the Ocean Justice Strategy

The National Ocean Protection Coalition celebrates the Biden Administration’s first-ever Ocean Justice Strategy. Fulfillment of this Strategy will advance environmental justice for communities that rely on ocean, coast, and Great Lakes resources by offering goals, principles, and practices that the Federal Government can adopt to provide long-term, sustainable benefits for people, communities, and the environment.

We applaud the Administration for the inclusive process and the way it incorporated the recommendations of Tribal Nations, Territorial Governments, people of the U.S. Territories, and Native Hawaiian Organizations along with community advocates, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, industry partners, and members of the public from across the country. 

The Ocean Justice Strategy recognizes that including and elevating the voices of Indigenous Peoples and communities of color will lead to better outcomes for the ocean and is an important milestone towards equity and justice in ocean conservation. We also acknowledge that this is not a new conversation or movement–—for decades communities, individuals, and organizations have laid the foundation for this work. We value their unwavering dedication and ground-breaking contributions to an equitable and inclusive future. 

We commend the Administration’s leadership and look forward to supporting strong actions that will effectively implement this groundbreaking Strategy in 2024 and beyond.

The Ocean Project & World Ocean Day 

Laura Johnson, Youth Program Supervisor, The Ocean Project | World Ocean Day

“Ocean justice is critical. The sustainable future we are all fighting so ardently for is simply not possible without it. We need to ensure that those who are the most affected by the impacts of the climate crisis are not bearing this burden alone. In addition, recognizing that the consequences of our actions today will significantly impact future generations is crucial in involving young voices in shaping the solutions. After years of persistent efforts, youth inclusion in high-level decision-making is finally improving, and we thank the Biden-Harris Administration for this encouraging development. Harnessing the power of youth for a sustainable future is not only strategic, but morally imperative.” 

With its vision for just and equitable access, management, and use of the ocean, the coasts, and the Great Lakes, this first-ever Ocean Justice Strategy can drive transformational change in protecting and restoring our coastal and marine ecosystems. Recognizing that the consequences of our actions today will significantly impact future generations is crucial in including young voices at the table and having their voices heard in shaping the solutions. Involving young people from diverse backgrounds and those from the most impacted communities in the decision-making process is crucial for achieving ocean justice, and addressing the intersectionality of environmental protection, social equity, and human rights. This Strategy sets a strong foundation from which to radically collaborate to achieve the Strategy’s goals and high-level objectives. 

The Ocean Project catalyzes collective action for a healthy ocean and a stable climate, working in collaboration with youth leaders and a wide range of organizations. We focus on youth engagement and leadership to grow the movement for our blue planet, supporting global coordination of World Ocean Day every June as a unique opportunity to rally the world and fostering year-round youth advocacy. By collaborating with youth leaders, youth organizations, aquariums, zoos, and other community organizations we are growing a super collaborative global network that effectively engages the public, informs local, national, and international policymakers, for our one ocean, one climate, one future – together!

More at TheOceanProject.org and WorldOceanDay.org 

Surfrider Foundation

"The Ocean Justice Strategy is an essential step to ensuring that the benefits of a healthy ocean and coast are accessible to all communities. The strategy's success will depend on the meaningful engagement of all communities and recognition of Indigenous knowledge and rights. Success will also depend on strong federal action to address fossil fuel development, climate change, plastic pollution, water pollution and other threats that disproportionately harm lower-income and communities of color." 

- Pete Stauffer, Ocean Protection Manager, Surfrider Foundation

Wild Cumberland

“We greatly appreciate the Biden-Harris Administration's Ocean Justice Strategy focusing on equity and justice for the frontline communities - terrestrial or aquatic - that are most reliant on and protective of the ocean and coastlines. Meaningful community and stakeholder engagement, a more diverse federal workforce, and greater investment in research and education are vital to developing creative, evidence-based, high-value, and just ocean conservation strategies. Thank you for listening to the will of the people to center justice in ocean management!”

- Jessica Howell-Edwards, Executive Director & Dani Purvis, Research Lead