Greenpeace activists stage protest on Worthing Pier

Environmental activists held a protest at Worthing pier over the weekend as part of a nationwide campaign against deep sea mining.
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Volunteers from Greenpeace Arun and Adur Group presented homemade banners on Saturday and Sunday at the pier, in one of many similar demonstrations across the country.

Laurence Tondelier, a campaigner from Worthing, said: “The deep sea might seem a world away from Worthing, but in the year that the UK hosts the UN climate negotiations, we have a chance to prevent the needless destruction of our oceans.

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“We’re sending a message to the UK Government that they need to take ocean protection seriously and end their support for deep sea mining.”

Greenpeace protesters at Worthing Pier SUS-210428-102217001Greenpeace protesters at Worthing Pier SUS-210428-102217001
Greenpeace protesters at Worthing Pier SUS-210428-102217001

The Arun and Adur Group has been campaigning for years for oceans protection and last year hosted a photo exhibition showcasing the beauty of our oceans.

This nationwide banner protest is the latest step in the campaign to protect our oceans.

Earlier this month, Arun and Adur Group hosted online screenings of Greenpeace’s docu-series Ocean Witness, and hundreds of people tweeted the Foreign Office Minister Zac Goldsmith about the need for a strong Global Ocean Treaty.

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Deep sea mining would involve sending huge industrial machinery to the fragile ecosystems in the depths of the oceans.

Greenpeace protesters at Worthing Pier SUS-210428-102240001Greenpeace protesters at Worthing Pier SUS-210428-102240001
Greenpeace protesters at Worthing Pier SUS-210428-102240001

Greenpeace has argued it would undermine the livelihoods of many people in Pacific Island communities by threatening fish stocks and risks disturbing carbon storage in the deep ocean.

We need to protect at least 30 per cent of our oceans by 2030, said a Greenpeace spokesman, and make sure governments urgently agree to a Global Ocean Treaty that can create a global network of ocean sanctuaries where marine life can thrive.

The Government’s review into deep sea mining will conclude in July.

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One of the three largest corporations who work on deep sea mining is UK Seabed Resources Ltd, a subsidiary of US weapons giant Lockheed Martin.

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Greenpeace protesters at Worthing Pier SUS-210428-102320001

Laurence added: “Instead of a handful of companies exploiting the deep sea for profit, we need to prioritise re-using resources and moving to a sustainable, circular economy.

“I don’t want the phone I use, the battery in my electric car, or the chips in my computer to be there as a result of damage to such a precious and beautiful ecosystem.

“Join us at our next group meeting to hear more about our Protect the Oceans campaign, and how you can get involved.”

For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/ArunAdurGreenpeace

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