17 June 2025

Azul Reflections from UNOC3: End-of-week Updates – “The Ocean Is Not an ATM: Transforming Ocean Finance Before We Hit Overdraft”

As UNOC3 comes to a close, the mood in the corridors is hopeful, the energy is buzzing, and treaties are taking shape. Now we must fund them. From the High Seas to coastlines and communities affected by plastic pollution, the ocean is no longer asking for handshakes; it’s asking for structural change.

This past week, momentum gathered behind the BBNJ Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, with an accelerating push for ratification and implementation. However, as many delegations made clear, implementation will falter without financing that is not just adequate, but financing that empowers, not burdens; that restores, rather than exploits.

The OECD’s Ocean Economy to 2050 report sets the economic stage clearly: if the ocean economy were a country, it would rank fifth globally in GDP terms, having doubled in real value from USD 1.3 trillion in 1995 to USD 2.6 trillion by 2020 (OECD, 2025). Yet, this growth came overwhelmingly from activities, such as offshore oil and gas and mass tourism – industries that have high output but disproportionate ecological footprints and limited employment benefits. Between 1995 and 2020, marine and coastal tourism dominated job creation, while fossil fuel sectors produced much of the value with relatively few workers.

More than 75% of that growth came from Asia-Pacific countries, with Eastern Asia alone responsible for 56%. The dominance of high-income countries in ocean value has declined, but the regulatory frameworks needed to sustain the ocean economy, especially in lower-income nations, haven’t caught up. As the OECD notes, harmful subsidies persist, deep-sea ecosystems remain unmapped, and productivity is increasingly divorced from innovation, relying on outdated capital rather than digital or ecological transformation.

This is why the BBNJ Agreement must be financed not through fragmented aid but through structural support: sustained funding, community-rooted capacity building, and equitable access to marine science and technology. The agreement’s entry into force can only be meaningful if it creates new leadership opportunities for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and the Global South – not new obligations without support.

Meanwhile, the Global Plastics Treaty looms large. But here’s the truth no one should gloss over: we cannot recycle our way out of this mess. Finance must shift from cleaning up to slowing down – specifically, the production of virgin plastics and the expansion of petrochemicals. The OECD’s data affirms that the ocean is already threatened by climate change and overextraction.

Relying on ocean-based solutions alone ignores the land-based drivers of collapse. The Plastics Treaty must have teeth, not just in terms of waste control, but in tackling the global production engine that turns oil into plastic packaging and pollution.

The Nice Declaration also made waves this week when more than 90 governments worldwide reaffirmed their commitment to an effective and ambitious Global Plastics Treaty. The new declaration calls for legally binding obligations to phase out the most problematic plastic products and chemicals of concern in plastic products, as well as to improve the design of plastic products. More importantly, it also makes clear that voluntary measures will not be sufficient to address the challenges of plastic pollution adequately. That vision of restraint, precaution, and care, not just expansion, is exactly what this next chapter of ocean finance must be built on.

So let us be clear: conservation is not a luxury. It is not a moral bonus. It is the most rational economic strategy available. Do you want long-term revenue? Stop degrading the asset base. The numbers speak: conservation sustains value. Extraction erodes it.

We can no longer treat the ocean as an ATM machine swiping carbon and biodiversity until the account runs dry. If we are entering a new era of ocean governance, it must be backed by a new theory of value, one that does not confuse growth with health, nor expansion with equity.

UNOC 2025 marks the page-turn. Whether the story ahead is one of recovery or regret depends entirely on what and who we choose to fund.

17 June 2025

Azul Reflections from UNOC3: Mid-week Updates: “Counting Fish to Catch Cash? Rethinking Ocean Finance Before It’s Too Late”

As world leaders gather at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, a pressing contradiction defines the moment: bold new treaties like the BBNJ Agreement and the Plastics Treaty promise a more sustainable ocean future, yet the financial narratives underpinning them still cling to extractive logic. Biodiversity is framed as “untapped value,” marine life as “natural capital,” and governance instruments are pitched not as planetary safeguards but as tools to enable more efficient resource use. This is the language of blue growth, sanitized, technocratic, and dangerous.

The BBNJ Agreement, a landmark in international law, runs the risk of remaining largely symbolic without implementation mechanisms that address real asymmetries in power, knowledge, and capacity. Financing must not follow the old development pathways that deliver conditional aid or isolated grants. Instead, it must target community-based knowledge systems, regionally anchored capacity-building, and technology transfer that is reciprocal, not extractive. SIDS, coastal states, and the broader Global South do not need permission to lead—they need the political will from the Global North and material space to do so on their own terms.

Yet organizations with global economic mandates continue to reinforce outdated notions of “exploitation” as a normative objective for marine resources. This terminology, cloaked in ambiguity, creates space for overfishing, industrial expansion, and unchecked commodification under the pretense of sustainable management. In truth, we do not possess the regulatory or scientific infrastructure to responsibly “exploit” vast swaths of ocean biodiversity. To enshrine that term into treaties is to commit to risk without the capacity to mitigate it.

As long as “exploitation” remains the default framework, protection will be treated as the exception. That’s why more than 100 organizations worldwide, including Azul, have joined a movement in support of the Protection Principle, which would require that ocean protection takes precedence over exploitation. With the Protection Principle, ocean protection would become the rule rather than the exception.

The Plastics Treaty faces similar contradictions. If it focuses solely on downstream pollution or waste control, it will fail to address the production systems that generate plastic at scale. What is needed is a financing model that supports upstream reduction, zero waste, and localized innovation, especially in countries currently forced to manage the byproducts of a global overproduction they did not choose. Without attention to production sovereignty and a just transition, the treaty risks becoming a technocratic fix for a structural problem.

These concerns are echoed in the Nice Declaration issued by more than 90 governments around the world on the second day of the UNOC. The Declaration reaffirms the signing Members’ commitment and calls for an effective and ambitious Global Plastics Treaty, raising the alarm on the urgent need for an effective treaty. The new declaration calls for legally binding obligations to phase out the most problematic plastic products and chemicals of concern in plastic products, and improve plastic products. It also makes clear that voluntary measures will not be enough to adequately address the challenges of plastic pollution.

This is the kind of paradigm shift both the BBNJ Agreement and the Plastics Treaty require if they are to be instruments of justice, not just management.

UNCLOS laid the legal foundation, but the task now is to build governance capable of repair, not just regulation. The ocean must no longer be financed by what can be taken from it, but by what must be restored within it. Conservation is not a sunk cost. It is the only viable strategy left for ensuring ocean health, human resilience, and equitable development.

The decisions made at this conference, and in the months ahead, will determine whether multilateralism becomes a vehicle for transformative ocean governance or simply another stage for performing sustainability while deepening inequity. We must stop counting fish to catch cash — and start investing in the systems that keep the ocean alive.

17 June 2025

Azul Reflections from UNOC3: Day 1 Updates: “The Ocean Turns Blue Without the Stars and Stripes”

The first day of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference marked a pivotal moment in the global governance of our ocean — a day that may be remembered as the one when the world was forced to begin looking past the United States for leadership in marine science and ocean diplomacy.

From the plenary session to the side events, the message was clear: the European Union is stepping up, filling a void left by the declining presence of the United States, particularly the uncertain future of NOAA, once the gold standard for ocean observation and climate modeling. France and Costa Rica, newly appointed co-presidents of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), set the tone — anchoring the day’s agenda in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 and a shared commitment to accelerating the 30% marine protection target, using science and cooperation as their compass.

French President Emmanuel Macron spotlighted the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ), announcing that more than 50 countries have now committed to ratification. He emphasized that the international community must now seize this moment to operationalize the agreement — especially as it becomes a central tool in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, advancing marine biodiversity protections, and asserting collective stewardship over areas beyond national jurisdiction.

At Side Event 5, Costa Rica’s Environment Minister, Franz Tattenbach, delivered a stirring call to action: “We must use science as common sense.” His remarks challenged the political tendency to bypass science in ocean decision-making. He reinforced the moral authority of science-based diplomacy — pointing to Costa Rica’s cooperation with Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia in governing shared marine corridors — and the imperative to govern both within and beyond jurisdictional waters, while still enhancing productivity in a fair and sustainable way.

But the spotlight today belongs to the emerging architecture of digital ocean governance. At Side Event 5, a bold proposal was unveiled: a new intergovernmental organization for digital ocean systems, spearheaded by Mercator Ocean International and built on the backbone of Europe’s Copernicus and Galileo programs. Peter Thomson, the UN Special Envoy for the Oceans, gave it weight by aligning the effort with a broader vision — one that includes global access to ocean data, predictive modeling for fisheries and disasters, and science-driven MPA expansion.

Speaker after speaker — from French research minister Philippe Baptiste to EU maritime policy officials and Mercator’s director Pierre Bahurel — returned to the same themes: data, access, collaboration, and equity. The Brest Declaration was cited as a turning point. The need to create a successor to NOAA was mentioned more than once — not with glee, but with disappointment. “We must reduce dependence on a single country,” Baptiste said, alluding to U.S. retrenchment and the current vacuum in global marine science.

This is perhaps the most sobering reality of the day: that the United States, home to NOAA and a legacy of ocean science leadership, is not currently part of the conversation in a meaningful way. As NOAA faces domestic political threats, its global standing is being quietly replaced — not just by institutions like Mercator, but by an entire intergovernmental ecosystem of marine knowledge and governance rooted in cooperation, not competition.

Today’s announcements reflect a new phase in multilateral ocean diplomacy — one that is less centered on national power and more on shared data, predictive intelligence, and regional leadership. Yet, the absence of the U.S. — and the corresponding uncertainty around NOAA’s role — casts a long shadow.

It is a profound irony: the world is building the future of ocean science and policy using tools, methods, and values that NOAA helped pioneer. But with the U.S. and NOAA now offstage, that future is forced to move forward without its former protagonist – a loss for the world and science.

17 June 2025

Azul Delegation Attends Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) Regional Meeting Ahead of INC 5.2, Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations

For Immediate Release
Friday, June 6, 2025
Contact: media@azul.org

Azul Delegation Attends Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) Regional Meeting Ahead of INC 5.2, Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations

Panama (Friday, June 6, 2025) – This week, Azul’s Founder and Executive Director, Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, and Azul’s Senior Policy Associate, Roland González Pizarro, attended the regional meeting of the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) ahead of INC 5.2, the upcoming Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Geneva, where they engaged in the process as observers.

Following the conclusion of the regional meeting, Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s Founder and Executive Director, released the following statement:

“We are encouraged by the leadership and ongoing efforts of the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) during the regional meeting in advance of the upcoming Global Plastics Treaty negotiations at INC 5.2 in Geneva. We are grateful for the opportunity to engage in this critical process as observers, and we remain hopeful it will lead to a strong, binding instrument that will address the complete cycle of plastics and provide equitable access to financing mechanisms.”

In March 2021, just one year prior to UNEP adopting Resolution 5/14, which mandated the development of a global treaty to end plastic pollution, Azul and the United Nations Environment Programme released the report Neglected: Environmental Justice Impacts of Marine Litter and Plastics Pollution. The 66-page report, available in English and Spanish, has been a leading resource at plastic treaty talks as it details how plastic pollution disproportionately affects marginalized communities around the world – hindering the achievement of all 17 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the entire plastic lifecycle, from production to waste disposal.

Azul plans to attend the upcoming negotiations at INC 5.2 in Geneva, after participating as observers in the process since the first session of negotiations at INC-1 in Punta del Este, Uruguay, in 2022. A roundup of analysis and statements from the latest session can be found on Azul’s website.

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Azul is an ocean justice organization working with Latino communities to protect our blue planet. Founded in 2011, Azul has developed and executed campaigns that achieved groundbreaking ocean conservation policy victories at local, national, and international levels.

17 June 2025

Ocean Justice Organization Azul Advances Latino Leadership in Ocean Conservation During World Ocean Month in June

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT: media@azul.org

Ocean Justice Organization Azul Advances Latino Leadership in Ocean Conservation During World Ocean Month in June

Through local, national, and international activations, Azul is celebrating Latinos at the Forefront in the Fight for Ocean Justice

WASHINGTON (June 2, 2025) – Azul, an ocean justice organization working with Latino communities to protect coastal and marine ecosystems, is marking World Ocean Month in June with a powerful lineup of regional, national, and international activations that celebrate Latino leadership in ocean conservation.

Azul’s Ocean Month activities kick off in Washington with Semana Azul, held June 2-5. The week-long convening marks the culmination of Azul’s Rising Leaders Initiative, a landmark program for Latino ocean conservation leaders from across the nation that provides tools and opportunities for effective ocean justice advocacy. Azul’s Rising Leaders will receive ambassador training and policy briefings, meet with Congressional Offices, and a graduation ceremony that capstones their participation in the 6-week program.

“In step with Azul’s mission to amplify Latino leadership in the fight for ocean justice, we’re proud to create opportunities for Latino voices to contribute to and shape policies that protect our blue planet,” said Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, founder and executive director of Azul. “Now more than ever, it’s critical to demonstrate how Latinos are making waves to advance ocean justice and to show that we will not be deterred from keeping our oceans safe.”

On June 3, Azul will also co-host Upwell 2025: A Wave of Ocean Justice, a full day event featuring expert panelists and discussions that prioritize the experiences and voices of historically marginalized communities in ocean conservation. Gutiérrez-Graudiņš will offer remarks during the opening plenary, and Azul Conservation Manager Carlos Ochoa will moderate a panel focused on lessons learned from coastal disasters and the role of federal relief programs in building community resilience. Upwell is co-hosted by Azul, Aquarium Conservation Partnership, and Urban Ocean Lab.

Following its activities in Washington DC, Azul will attend the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) regional meeting in Panama on June 3-5, 2025. The aim of the regional convening is to support Member States in their preparations for the upcoming Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) 5.2 on Plastic Pollution scheduled for August 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.

“Azul is encouraged by the leadership of GRULAC, where Mexico and Panama are leading bold and ambitious proposal to curb plastics pollution,” Gutiérrez-Graudiņš said.

Azul’s Ocean Month efforts will culminate at the United Nations Ocean Conference, taking place in in Nice, France. The high-level meeting, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, will focus on progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 14: conserving and sustainably using ocean resources.

“Ocean health and human rights are deeply interconnected,” Gutiérrez-Graudiņš said. “Azul is proud to celebrate the voices of Latino communities to the global stage to advocate for real, equitable solutions.”

Azul’s World Ocean Month Schedule

La Mesa Azul

Monday, June 2, 2025 | 8:00 am – 4:00 pm ET | Washington D.C.

La Mesa Azul is an intergenerational gathering to catalyze connection, shared learning, and mentorship across Azul’s #LatinosMarinos network! In Azul’s mission to amplify Latino leadership, we are convening this gathering to give rising advocacy leaders a behind-the-scenes view of advancing policy issues and demystify careers in this field. The gathering will feature panels and a roundtable discussion between experienced and rising advocates to inspire honest conversations about the issues we face and, more importantly, how we can collaborate on solutions.

Upwell

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 | 9:30 am – 5:00 pm ET | Washington D.C.

Cofounded and co-hosted by Azul, this event will prioritize the experiences and voices of historically marginalized communities in ocean conservation discussions. The event will feature expert panels, high-level guest speakers, and much more. Ocean resources and policy influence have long been inequitable due to racism, colonialism, and industrialization. Meanwhile, marginalized coastal communities face disproportionate impacts from climate change, pollution, overfishing, habitat loss, coastal gentrification, and oil and gas activities.

Hill Day

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | 8:00 am – 3:00 pm ET | Washington D.C.

Azul Rising Leaders will take to the Hill to meet with Congressional offices, share stories from their communities back home, and advocate for ocean justice policies.

Graduation

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET | Washington D.C.

To celebrate the Azul Rising Leaders Class of 2025, Azul will host a graduation ceremony on Wednesday evening. After completing both the virtual curriculum, which began this spring and featured talks by Azul staff and guest speakers, and a week of service and in-person programming in DC, the Rising Leaders will celebrate the completion of the 2025 program.

Closing Circle

Thursday, June 5, 2025 | 8:00 am – 10:00 am ET | Washington D.C.

The Azul Rising Leaders will wrap up the event with a closing circle to share reflections and goal setting before departing Washington.

GRULAC Regional Meeting

June 3-5, 2025 | Panama City, Panama

Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC)

In preparation for INC5.2, GRULAC members are convening in Panama City, Panama, for a Regional Meeting. The aim of the regional consultations is to undertake discussions at a regional level and to support Member States in their preparations for INC-5.2, scheduled to take place from 5 to 14 August 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.

2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3)

June 9-13, 2025 | Nice, France

Azul will attend the 2025 United Nations Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France from June 9-13. The event brings together global stakeholders to promote sustainable ocean governance and highlights diverse voices in marine policy.

About Azul

17 June 2025

Celebrating 2025 Estrella Marina Awards: California Leaders for Ocean Justice

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 6th, 2025
Media Contact: media@azul.org

Celebrating 2025 Estrella Marina Awards: California Leaders for Ocean Justice

Sacramento, CA (May 6, 2025) – Azul is proud to announce the seventh annual Estrella Marina Awards today, celebrating California leaders at the forefront of advocacy and action for ocean justice.

This year’s awardees are California State Senator Steve Padilla, California State Assembly Member Steve Bennett, and California Coastal Commissioner Linda Escalante.

“This year’s Estrella Marina honorees represent the very best of public service – leaders who understand that protecting our coast means standing with our communities,” said Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s Founder and Executive Director. “They lead with vision, courage, and a deep respect for the people and places that make California’s coast so special.”

The awards were presented during California Ocean Day in Sacramento, where ocean advocates, youth leaders, and policymakers gather each year to uplift community-driven solutions to the climate crisis and ocean defense.

“It is an honor to be a recipient of the Estrella Marina Award,” said Senator Padilla. “Our oceans are every Californian’s heritage and a critical part of our economy. We must protect these ecosystems and ensure they remain healthy for the generations to come.”

“Azul has played an instrumental role in connecting all our communities to the coast. To receive this distinct award from them is an honor,” said Assembly Member Bennett. “We share a vision for a healthy ocean where its diverse ecosystems and wildlife thrive and all neighbors enjoy it freely and easily. I look forward to our continued partnership in making this vision our reality.”

“I am deeply honored to receive this award,” said Commissioner Escalante. “It’s a powerful recognition of our collective work to protect our oceans, uplift the Latino community, and advance environmental justice. I share this with all those who fight every day for a healthier, more equitable California.”

Azul launched the Estrella Marina Awards in 2019 to celebrate the remarkable leaders working to protect our communities, ocean, and coasts in California and nationwide. Some previous awardees include Speaker Emeritus Anthony Rendon, Assistant Secretary for Equity and Environmental Justice Moisés Moreno-Rivera, California State Senators Monique Limón and Lena Gonzalez, California State Representatives Luz Rivas and Ash Kalra, and U.S Representative Raúl Grijalva of Arizona.

More than a hundred ocean advocates — including Azul’s own delegation of Latinos Marinos – gathered for California Ocean Day to meet with their representatives and discuss policy solutions to advance environmental and ocean justice protections across our state. The advocacy day comes less than one month before the start of World Ocean Month and Semana Azul.

Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s Founder and Executive, awards Senator Steve Padilla with the 2025 Estrella Marina Award

Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s Founder and Executive, awards Assembly Member Steve Bennett with the 2025 Estrella Marina Award

Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s Founder and Executive, awards Commissioner Linda Escalante with the 2025 Estrella Marina Award

About the awardees:

California State Senator Steve Padilla

Senator Steve Padilla was elected to the Senate in November 2022, representing the counties of San Diego, Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino. Senator Padilla is a native of San Diego, a graduate of Bonita Vista High school, and lifelong Chula Vista resident.

California State Assembly Member Steve Bennett

Assemblymember Steve Bennett was elected to the Assembly in November 2020 and represents the 38th district that includes the western part of Ventura County. He currently serves as Chair of Budget Subcommittee 4: Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation, and the Chair of the Select Committee on Building a Zero-Carbon Hydrogen Economy.

California Coastal Commissioner Linda Escalante

California Coastal Commissioner Linda Escalante has been standing up for clean water, clean air and environmental justice for over a decade. Linda was appointed to the California Coastal Commission in 2019. She previously served as an alternate Commissioner, and has been a standout bridge builder and has a clear vision of the next era of coastal protection.

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Azul is an ocean justice organization working with Latino communities to protect our blue planet. Founded in 2011, Azul has developed –and executed– campaigns that achieved groundbreaking ocean conservation policy victories at local, national and international levels

17 June 2025

Marcela Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s Founder and Executive Director, receives Latino Spirit Award for environmental justice from the California Latino Legislative Caucus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 5, 2025
Media contact: media@azul.org

Marcela Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, founder of ocean justice organization Azul, receives Latino Spirit Award for environmental justice at State Capitol ceremony May 5

SACRAMENTO (May 5, 2025) – Marcela Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Founder and Executive Director of Azul, an ocean justice organization working with Latino communities, was honored with the 2025 Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Environmental Justice by the California Latino Legislative Caucus. The award was presented Monday, May 5, during the 23rd annual Latino Spirit Awards ceremony at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The event, held in conjunction with the state’s Cinco de Mayo observance, celebrates Latino leaders in advocacy, health, education, business, the arts, and public service.

“I am profoundly honored and humbled to receive the 2025 Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Environmental Justice, a recognition I share with the communities who have stood with us, organized with us, and built power alongside us,” Gutiérrez Graudins said. “It’s their work and perseverance that have made today possible.”

Gutiérrez Graudins founded Azul in 2011 to ensure Latino participation and leadership in environmental policy and coastal conservation. After witnessing how traditional conservation efforts often excluded Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities, she created Azul to give Latino communities the power and platform to advocate for the ocean.

Marce has spearheaded Azul’s strategic campaigns, instrumental in securing California’s statewide bans of shark fins sales and single-use plastic bags to the Biden-Harris White House incorporating ocean justice into its first-ever federal policy priorities to advance environmental justice to coordinating global coalitions to push for a strong global Plastics Treaty; her strategies have activated Latinos throughout California and beyond.

According to Gutiérrez Graudins, advancing environmental justice means protecting nature with people, not from them.

“At Azul, we know community power is at the heart of achieving true environmental justice. It’s our collective voice, our shared vision, and our refusal to be left out that drives lasting solutions for our communities. This award is for all of us who believe that the ocean is not just a resource, it’s our connection and our future,” she added.

The organization is currently preparing a slate of programs and advocacy efforts for Ocean Month in June, continuing its mission to center Latino voices in the movement for ocean justice and sustainability.

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17 June 2025

Protecting Our Ocean from Deep-Sea Destruction – Azul Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: April 24, 2025
CONTACT: media@azul.org

Protecting Our Ocean from Deep-Sea Destruction

Washington D.C. (April 24, 2025) – In response to the Trump Administration’s Executive Order regarding deep-sea mining, Azul’s Founder and Executive Director, Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, released the following statement:

“The Trump Administration’s Executive Order to fast-track offshore mineral extraction circumvents international agreements and, importantly, ignores the will of the people. According to the 2024 National Azul Poll, 84% of Latino voters support the government implementing the strongest possible protections for our ocean, even if it is costly, and 78% want the government to protect the ocean, even if it means not allowing the extraction of natural resources like seabed minerals.

Our ocean is not a sacrifice zone. Extractive practices like deep-sea mining put life below and above water at risk. We urge our leaders to listen to the communities calling for the government to invest in our ocean planet, rather than exploit it.”

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17 June 2025

Azul Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: April 21, 2025
CONTACT: media@azul.org

Azul Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis

Washington D.C. (April 21, 2025) – In response to the passing of Pope Francis, Azul’s Founder and Executive Director, Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, released the following statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis – a world leader who used his voice and platform to protect our planet and stand up for vulnerable communities around the world.

In choosing the name Francis, he made it clear that caring for our planet would be at the heart of his work. As the first Pope from Latin America, his leadership called attention to the intersection of the climate crisis and the need for justice. His 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ challenged the narrative around climate change, reminding us all that the climate crisis isn’t just about the environment – it’s also about justice, equity, and our shared humanity. He called on the world to address the intertwined crises of our time, and throughout his papacy, he championed migrant rights and advocated for vulnerable communities worldwide, reminding us in the Lauado Si’ that ‘we are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.’

Pope Francis used every opportunity to lend his voice in defense of our planet and communities. We know his lasting legacy will continue to inspire future generations to care for our common home and for each other. May he rest in power.”

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17 June 2025

Azul Statement on Representative Raúl M. Grijalva’s Passing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: March 13, 2025
CONTACT: media@azul.org

Azul Statement on Representative Raúl M. Grijalva’s Passing

Washington D.C. (March 13, 2025) – In response to news of the passing of Representative Raúl M. Grijalva, Azul’s Founder and Executive Director, Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, released the following statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Representative Raúl M. Grijalva. As former chair and ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Representative Grijalva led with bold imagination and an indefatigable sense of possibility that resulted in landmark policy wins like the permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Rep. Grijalva was a steadfast champion for communities, fighting persistently to advance environmental justice and ocean climate action, all while supporting grassroots advocates in national policy leadership. Raul Manuel Grijalva, Presente!”

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