Azul Joins the Ocean Justice Forum in Announcing A First-Ever Federal Policy Proposal for Ocean Action
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Contacts (Español/English):
Betsy López-Wagner, López-Wagner Strategies, blopezwagner@gmail.com
Lucila Garcia, López-Wagner Strategies, garciaoneil@gmail.com
Haz clic aquí para leer en Español.
Azul Joins the Ocean Justice Forum in Announcing A First-Ever Federal Policy Proposal for Ocean Action
A Recent National Poll by Azul Found Latino Voters Overwhelmingly Support Ocean Policies
Washington, D.C. (September 20, 2022) – Azul, an environmental justice organization working with Latinxs to protect the ocean and coasts, joins in the launch of the Ocean Justice Forum’s first-ever Ocean Justice Platform today.
In total, 18 grassroots and national nonprofit organizations throughout North America supported the development of this Federal policy proposal developed by a consensus-based process to advance the policy priorities of coastal, frontline communities for racial, climate, environmental and economic justice. The Ocean Justice Forum is an initiative co-led by Azul, Center for American Progress, Taproot Earth, and Urban Ocean Lab.
“For decades, communities of color have carried the heaviest burdens of environmental injustices and the climate crisis, all the while ocean and climate policy has systematically ignored our plight,” said Marce Gutierrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s executive director and founder. “The consequences of inaction and injustice are playing out every day in coastal and inland areas from Alaska to California, Puerto Rico and beyond. With rising sea levels and extreme storms damaging entire communities, this ocean justice platform reflects the urgency of this moment. We will continue working to advance ocean policy solutions to address those challenges.”
This summer, Azul unveiled a new national poll conducted by Barreto Segura Partners (BSP) Research, which greatly dispels myths about Latino apathy on the ocean and environment. The Azul findings, which can be seen here, show the U.S. Latino electorate is strongly committed to federal and state policies that reduce harms to the ocean, seeking government intervention to protect the ocean and support the prevention of plastic pollution, curbing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, and they’re willing to see the nation pay more – and will pay more themselves – to advance ocean justice.
As such, Azul, an organization founded in 2011, which has led grassroots advocacy and policy campaigns from California to national and international levels, signed onto the Ocean Justice Forum’s policy proposal as a member, with Gutierrez-Graudiņš also serving as a steering committee member for the initiative, formed in 2021.
The Ocean Justice Platform’s policy priorities to guide policymakers is as follows:
• Protect the ocean and the benefits it provides for all
• Alleviate the disproportionate burden of pollution on ocean justice communities
• Promote an economy that sustains the ocean and the communities who rely on it
• Uplift justly-sourced renewable energy from the ocean
• Prioritize community social cohesion in disaster response and adaptation investments
Azul: Azul is a grassroots organization working with Latinxs to protect the ocean and coasts. It was founded in 2011 to bring Latinxs perspectives and participation to ocean conservation and has long advocated for environmental justice and equity in the state of California, across the nation and at international levels. www.azul.org