From the Sea We Came: Delegate from Bermuda Calls for Global Action to Protect the Sargasso at UN Talks

A representative from Bermuda called for urgent global action to protect the vital ecosystem of the Sargasso Sea at the High Seas Treaty Preparatory Commission talks at the UN Headquarters in New York this week.

During the second day of the talks[1], Noelle Young, Sustainability Solutionist & Environmental Justice Delegate from Bermuda, gave an intervention on behalf of Greenpeace during discussions about how the Treaty will be funded.

Emphasising Bermuda’s longstanding commitment to conservation, she urged delegates to designate the Sargasso Sea as one of the first high seas marine protected areas under the Treaty. She also highlighted the need for subnational island jurisdictions to have direct access to climate and ocean finance, warning that without inclusion and support, both progress and biodiversity will suffer. Her message is clear: act now — imperfectly if needed — but with urgency and unity.[2]

As part of her speech, Noelle Young said:

“This Treaty provides hope. But when it comes to finance – conscience must prevail. Subnational islands hold vast stretches of biodiversity on behalf of sovereign nations, yet we are denied direct access to the funds needed for adaptation and resilience. The BBNJ financing plan must create pathways for us to access support directly. Without it, progress and protection will once again be delayed.

“For centuries, our people have united in conservation. We have proven our commitment. Now, we ask you to match it. Therefore I wish to use this opportunity to urge delegates to consider making the international waters of the Sargasso Sea one of the first high seas marine protected areas under the BBNJ Treaty. And we ask that Bermuda — and other subnational island jurisdictions — be given access to finance to facilitate management of these areas,” she continued.

A new short film, From The Sea We Came, produced by Greenpeace UK in partnership with Noelle Young and Burnt House productions, premiered at the talks in an event earlier the same day. This film highlights Bermudians’ personal stories, cultural heritage and emotional connection to the Sargasso Sea. Through voices across the community, the film captures how the ocean shaped their identity, traditions, and a bond stretching across generations as caretakers of the sea. The film is a portrait of people whose lives are inseparable from the ocean and a reminder of the deep human connection that ties us all to it. As the future of our ocean hangs in the balance, this film is a beacon of hope and a powerful call to our shared duty to protect it.

Chris Thorne, senior oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said:
“This Treaty has the potential to transform the way we manage the world’s oceans by protecting crucial marine ecosystems from harmful and exploitative activities. As it nears activation—with just eight more countries needing to ratify—it’s crucial to focus on how it can be used to establish Marine Protected Areas that are both ecologically robust and socially just.”

“We have been lucky to work alongside Noelle Young, who is a passionate advocate for ensuring the voices of people across Bermuda are heard when it comes to the Sargasso’s protection. But Bermuda is a UK Overseas Territory. The UK therefore has a key role to play in championing the Sargasso Sea as one of the first sanctuaries under this Treaty at the United Nations, especially given the Sargasso Sea’s vital ecological and cultural value to Bermudians” he continued.

52 countries (plus the European Union) have currently ratified the Global Ocean Treaty. 60 ratifications by countries are needed for it to enter into force. Greenpeace UK is urging the UK government and other governments to ratify the Treaty as soon as possible and develop proposals to protect priority sites in the Atlantic and across the globe, including the Sargasso Sea.

Ends

Photos of Noelle Young, other panellists from the Greenpeace event and the Greenpeace team are available in the Greenpeace Media Library.

The film From The Sea We Came is available on YouTube.

Contact:
Alexandra Sedgwick, Greenpeace UK press officer, alexandra.sedgwick@greenpeace.org, +44 7739 963 301.

Notes for editors:

1 – The talks, known as the second BBNJ Preparatory Commission, taking place over the coming two weeks in New York, are an important moment to secure the ocean governance needed to achieve a network of ocean sanctuaries on the high seas. Governments must now agree on the process for creating the first protected areas under the Treaty if we are to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 – a goal which scientists agree is absolutely necessary.

2 – The full transcript of Noelle Young’s intervention is below:

“Good afternoon distinguished delegates and esteemed colleagues,
My name is Noelle Young and I am very grateful to be here today. You see, I am a daughter of Bermuda — a small, 21-square-mile sub national island jurisdiction in the Atlantic Ocean, that nests within the Sargasso Sea. My country’s fresh water access, our food security, and our very identity are bound to the health of this powerful oceanic system. From the sea, we came.

Bermuda has long carried the mantle of stewardship for the Sargasso Sea, a unique cradle of biodiversity. The Sargasso is one of the most studied and data-rich regions of the global ocean. It is the only sea without land borders — and Bermuda is the only nation physically tied to it. The Sargasso provides migratory routes to humpback and sperm whales, and nursery habitats to species found nowhere else on the planet. We share one ocean, please understand that if Bermuda’s sea fails, the ripples will be felt across the globe.

This Treaty provides hope. But when it comes to finance – conscience must prevail. Subnational islands hold vast stretches of biodiversity on behalf of sovereign nations, yet we are denied direct access to the funds needed for adaptation and resilience. The BBNJ financing plan must create pathways for us to access support directly. Without it, progress and protection will once again be delayed.

For centuries, our people have united in conservation. We have proven our commitment. Now, we ask you to match it. Therefore I wish to use this opportunity to urge delegates to consider making the international waters of the Sargasso Sea one of the first high seas marine protected areas under the BBNJ Treaty. And we ask that Bermuda — and other subnational island jurisdictions — be given access to finance to facilitate management of these areas.

Each child born on a small island like mine deserves a future where their culture and community are not washed away by the rising tides of political inaction.

So please let us move forward — imperfectly if we must — but urgently and decisively, together.
Thank you.”