Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)

In 2020, EJF investigators identified two vessels engaged in unauthorised tuna fishing in the Atlantic, revealing a 'ghost fleet' exploiting vulnerable crews, engaging in illegal practices like shark finning, and smuggling high-value catches into global markets. Despite relentless evasion tactics, our investigators continued to track the vessels as they moved around the globe, and shared intelligence with the relevant authorities to keep the pressure on this illegal fleet. The vessels are now blacklisted from operating in vast swathes of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. While this is a success, the fact they could remain hidden for so long underscores the broader challenge of tracing who is fishing what, where and when on our ocean. We need global, systematic transparency to be implemented across the whole sector if we hope to succeed in securing an end to the destruction of ocean ecosystems and human rights abuses at sea. Watch our video: https://lnkd.in/exsueHHe Read the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency: https://lnkd.in/eGx7YqYZ

BREAKING ⚠️ We're taking the Spanish government to court to stop destructive bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas. We’ve already taken the French government to court over illegal bottom trawling this year but that wasn't the only EU country sadly flouting the rules. EU law forbids damaging activities like bottom trawling in certain MPAs. But the Spanish government is flouting those laws by systematically allowing bottom trawling in its MPAs. It’s time for EU countries to respect these laws and protect precious marine life. So we're taking them to court with our partner Oceana to make sure that "Protected” means “Protected”.

Plastic pollution is choking our planet, polluting our ecosystems and even entering our own bodies. It has a significant impact in driving the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. In Thailand, current levels of plastic production and consumption are unsustainable, as our new briefing, funded by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, explains. Primary plastic production represents 7.3% of total emissions in 🇹🇭, meaning direct harm for Thai citizens and for the entire world. Our briefing estimates that Thailand has the potential to reduce its plastic production by 20-36%, and showcases the progress made by our Bottle Free Seas project. This project has demonstrated that there is an appetite for reducing plastic waste in Thailand, as 10 water refill stations set up across Bangkok have saved one million bottles from entering the ocean in about a year ♻️ This briefing and projects like Bottle Free Seas show that a more sustainable future is possible: Read the EN version: https://lnkd.in/ezpEEGd4 Read the TH version: https://lnkd.in/ej523htP

Despite 🇨🇳’s claims of supporting sustainable development in the region, we found their fishing fleet is responsible for systemic illegal fishing and human rights abuses in the Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO). While they are not the only culprits for crimes at sea in the region, the shocking nature of the abuses it perpetuates demands more transparency now. Watch our film: https://lnkd.in/eus-Figf  Read the report, "Tide of Injustice: Exploitation and illegal fishing on Chinese vessels in the Southwest Indian Ocean": https://lnkd.in/eBB4-Ukv

“It’s climate crunch time”, says Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. We are rapidly approaching the planet’s irreversible tipping points, yet we are not doing enough to combat the #ClimateCrisis. To achieve our goal of limiting global heating to 1.5ºC, the deployment of the clean energy transition needs to be much faster. An unprecedented global mobilisation of renewable energy and nature protection is needed to save people and planet. Solutions exist, but we need the political will and ambition to do it, particularly from the G20 countries that cause 77% of global emissions. Climate breakdown is not a future problem – as we hurtle down the path to 3.1ºC of global heating, people across the globe are being ravaged by extreme weather. World leaders must take mitigation action by: 🏭 Phasing out fossil fuels ☀️ Rapidly increasing renewable energy investment ✔️ Aiming for to real zero emissions by 2035 🌱 Integrating nature protection into climate targets Time is running out, we must act now. Watch our climate mitigation film: https://lnkd.in/eHKiN7K8 Read the article in The Guardian: https://lnkd.in/eHCSNW73

⚠️ Only a few days left to apply ⚠️ We’re #Hiring a Communications and Media Officer, Francophone Africa, to join our team in Senegal. We’re looking for someone with strong copywriting and organisational skills and the ability to secure media coverage. In this role, you will be working closely with the Francophone Africa Programme Manager and our international communications team to develop and deliver ambitious communications and media strategy for EJF’s projects in Francophone Africa. Apply by Sunday, October 27th: https://lnkd.in/ePkF_mGA

A recent analysis from the Natural History Museum has found that biodiversity on land is declining faster in protected areas than outside of them. World leaders have committed to protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030, but it is clear our current efforts are not working. Conservation must go beyond drawing lines on a map. For our 30x30 commitments to work, protected areas must be well designed and enforced for the benefit of wildlife and impacted communities. All action must centre the rights, leadership, and active participation of local communities and Indigenous peoples. Together, we must act to restore a healthy relationship with nature and halt the ongoing extinction crisis. https://lnkd.in/eFq4Wimc

#Arrastre | ONG amenazan con llevar al Gobierno de Francia a los tribunales si no prohíbe la pesca de arrastre en las AMP 🔹Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) y DÉFENSE DES MILIEUX AQUATIQUES presentan una solicitud formal al Ejecutivo y recuerdan que la normativa legal ampara esta medida https://ow.ly/7TAZ50TRFKm

Bottom trawling has no place in France’s marine protected areas (MPAs) 📣 Today we, along with Defense des Milieux Aquatiques, have formally requested the 🇫🇷 government stop breaking the law and keep bottom trawling out of two of its most vulnerable and biodiverse MPAs. Bottom trawling involves dragging weighted nets across the seabed. This destructive fishing method causes long-term damage to seabed habitats and indiscriminately catches non-target species – leaving behind lifeless deserts. Allowing it in MPAs goes against the law. Despite the devastating impact of bottom trawling, it takes place in 77% of French marine Natura 2000 sites, in breach of environmental legislation. Our legal request targets the deterioration of the Chausey and Bancs des Flandres MPAs by bottom trawling. The future of sustainable fisheries ultimately relies on healthy oceans – allowing bottom trawling in protected areas directly contradicts this goal. France must take swift action to ban this practice in its MPAs, upholding their legal promise. Read the EN press release: https://lnkd.in/eht7edgU Read the FR press release: https://lnkd.in/effACTXm Jessika Roswall Dr. Florika Fink-Hooijer Charlina Vitcheva Leena Yla-Mononen Isabella Lövin Anja Hazekamp Eric Sargiacomo Pascal Canfin Emma Fourreau Christophe Clergeau Marie Toussaint Jimmy Pahun Mathilde Ollivier Damien Girard Nicolas THIERRY Eleonore Caroit Jérémie Iordanoff Agnès Pannier-Runacher Eric BANEL  Fabrice Loher

Today is the start of #COP16 UN Biodiversity Conference 🌱 This conference comes at a critical time. Since 1970, some studies estimate that wildlife populations have declined on average by 73%. Through the destruction and exploitation of our natural world for profits, humanity is perpetuating this intense biodiversity loss. The response has been weak as well, as all governments have failed to reach any of their self-imposed nature loss targets. This cannot continue. We are on the very brink of completely blowing past all of Earth’s tipping points, and without meaningful and strong action, we will reach the point of no return. Not only the balance of the planet, but all our human rights depend on healthy biodiversity. It’s time for the international community to urgently prioritise the restoration and protection of biodiversity. https://lnkd.in/dk55_fYb