On November 7th, a sign-on letter was sent to the President of Iceland, calling for immediate action to protect whales. Since then, the letter has gained additional support, with more organizations adding their signatures to the appeal;
Halla Tómasdóttir
President of Iceland
Dear Halla Tómasdóttir,
We, the undersigned international organizations committed to ocean conservation, are deeply concerned by the potential for Iceland’s interim government to issue new whaling permits at this time. As you yourself have highlighted, the role of a caretaker government is primarily to maintain stability until a fully elected government is in place. Making a decision on whaling during this transitional period would appear counter to the spirit of democratic governance, particularly when polling shows that a majority of Icelanders are now opposed to whaling. Nine political parties that now are running were asked at “COPRVK”, an event organized by the Young Environmentalists, in Iceland whether they support whaling and only 3 said they support it, 6 said they are against whaling.
The significance of this decision extends beyond Iceland's borders. The international community has long supported efforts to protect marine biodiversity, and whales are recognized as vital to the health of marine ecosystems and to global efforts in carbon sequestration and climate resilience. Their role in the ocean’s carbon pump, supporting phytoplankton growth and nutrient distribution, is crucial to mitigating climate change, a commitment shared by Iceland under the Paris Agreement.
Additionally, at the recent International Whaling Commission meeting, Iceland’s abstention from key votes was seen by its international allies as a positive signal of a potential reevaluation of whaling practices. This choice aligned with global conservation efforts and was welcomed by environmental advocates who hold Iceland in high regard for its leadership in sustainable practices. Granting new whaling permits at this juncture, however, could undermine Iceland’s alignment with these objectives, as well as its commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to protect marine ecosystems.
In May of this year, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) delivered the first international judicial opinion on state obligations concerning climate change. Member states must take all necessary measures to mitigate the impact of climate change on the sea. With this new ITLOS advisory opinion, any member state could possibly challenge Iceland at the International Court of Justice based on the climate impact killing whales has on the sea.
We respectfully urge you to consider the potential impact that a hasty decision may have on Iceland’s environmental legacy and its relationship with the global community. Deferring the decision on any new whaling licenses until a fully mandated government is in place would honor Iceland’s democratic processes and uphold the country’s reputation as a responsible steward of marine ecosystems.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to celebrating Iceland’s continued commitment to environmental responsibility.
Sincerely,
Last Whaling Station / WDC / Gallifrey Foundation / SeaLegacy / Paul Watson Foundation UK / Seaspiracy Hard To Port / Hvalavinir / WWF / IFAW / Chilli Foundation / Extinction Rebellion / SVIVS / ORCA ESPA Environmental Investigation Agency / One Blue Marble / Wild Earth Oceania / Deep Rising / SPECIESISM.WTF Burkard Studio Sharks Educational Institute / Divers for Sharks / Sharkproject / Sea Shepherd France Snæfellsjökul Fyrir Forseta KYMA / Ocean Born Foundation / FutureSwell / Panama Ghost Net / Blue Green Future / Racing Extinction Incredible Oceans / Dolphin Project / Kogia/ Keystone Species Alliance / Blue Life Wild / cetaceans. org / Animal welfare Iceland / Ocean Rights Coalition / Origami Whales Project / Animal Justice movement / Panama Ghost Net Ecotricity / Kristy In Motion / World Cetacean Alliance / Environmental Media Association / The Ocean Foundation Searious Business / Global Choices / The Great Whale Conservancy / The Marine Diaries / The Ocean Rights Coalition / The Ocean Project / Whale Wise / Tipping Point North South / Wild Earth Oceania AK Wildlife Cruises Falmouth / The Marine Diaries / CCMAR / Article 13 Limited / The Ocean Azores Foundation / Waterman Project Inland Ocean Coalition / Smile Wave Fund / Shark Foundation / Swiss Cetacean Society - SCS / Ocean Asia Geneva Ocean Academy / Octopus Foundation / Dolphin Watch Alliance / Animal Save Movement / Pacific Whale Fund /Bloom / Viva Charity / UrgentSeas / The Hunt Saboteurs Association / Blue Planet Society/ Ocean Rebellion Ocean Now! / SOA / Ocean Pledged / Motherocean Blue / The Plant Based Treaty / OceanCare / Plastic Planet Centro de Conservacion Cetacea / Surf Pop Foundation / Fundación Cethus / Centro Ecoceans Fundación Conservar Colombia / Cetacean Society International / Cetacean Society /Sussex Dolphin Project Brazilian Institute for Nature Conservation / The Whaleman Foundation / Brazilian Humpback Whale Institute / Oceanic Global / Wild Foundation / Whales Alive / Conservacion de Ballenas - Argentina / Animal Welfare Institute Fundación Promar - Costa Rica / Conservacion de Mamiferos Marinos de Mexico A.C., COMARINO / CET LAW / Coalición Costarricense por las Ballenas / Ocean Global / Wild Foundation / Sussex Dolphin Project / SEASHELL Ocean Missions /Until Lolita is Home / Surfers for Cetaceans / Ocean Vision Legal
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