Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), under the leadership of Mr Anthony Akpan, has called for a fundamental shift in humanity’s relationship with the ocean, aligning its advocacy with the United Nations’ World Oceans Day 2026 theme, “Reimagine: Beyond the world we know, a new relationship with our ocean.” The organisation argues that Africa must urgently rethink how marine ecosystems are managed, warning that continued neglect could deepen environmental and economic vulnerabilities across coastal communities.
Speaking on the significance of the global theme, PAVE noted that the ocean has long been treated “as an endless dumping ground and a bottomless well of resources,” a practice it described as unsustainable.
The organisation stressed that while international agreements such as the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) represent progress in global ocean governance, “such frameworks risk falling short if they fail to reflect local realities and the lived experiences of coastal populations,” according to its advocacy position.
The group further explained that the health of the ocean is inseparable from activities on land. In an indirect statement, PAVE highlighted that pollution from urban centres like Lagos—particularly plastic waste, industrial discharge, and weak waste management systems—continues to flow into the Atlantic Ocean, threatening marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods across sub-Saharan Africa. To address this, the organisation said it is intensifying grassroots interventions, including community waste management training and advocacy for stronger global plastic regulations.
Emphasising education, PAVE described ocean literacy as a critical gap in Africa’s environmental response. It stated that many coastal communities remain unaware of how deeply their economic and cultural wellbeing is tied to marine ecosystems. “When people understand the ocean, they are better equipped to protect it,” the organisation said, adding that fishers, young people, and policymakers must be central to awareness-building efforts under the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
Ultimately, PAVE called for what it described as “just and inclusive ocean governance,” insisting that Africa must not remain on the margins of global marine decision-making. As the world advances toward the target of protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030, the organisation argued that equity and local participation must guide implementation. The message, it concluded, is clear: Africa’s blue economy future depends on reimagining the ocean not as a resource to exploit, but as a shared ecosystem to protect for generations to come.
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