Dear friends across the United States,

At UN talks happening right now, the US is secretly trying to drown a new global plan to save our oceans before it's even been born. But if enough of us raise our voices in the next 72 hours, we can shame them to stop sabotaging this emergency proposal. Sign the urgent petition now to save our oceans:

Right now in the bowels of the United Nations, negotiators from the US are silently trying to sign our oceans’ death sentence by blocking a global rescue plan. Unless we expose them now, our oceans could never recover. 

Over the next 72 hours, countries are hammering out the agenda for the biggest environmental summit in 20 years, which is just weeks away. One crucial goal is to stop the rapid destruction of our oceans with a bold proposal to create new marine sanctuaries and end scandalous subsidies fueling the giant trawlers that pillage our seas. But in true pirate fashion, US negotiators are trying to secretly sabotage this proposal.

The talks are off the media's radar, giving US officials the perfect cover to quietly destroy our oceans. But if they know our eyes are on them, their resolve to block will weaken and this vital proposal could stay afloat. Let’s build a giant national outcry urging them to stop drowning this emergency proposal before it's even been born. Sign the petition below, and we’ll deliver it to the negotiators before talks end on Friday:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/72_hours_to_save_the_oceans_us/?vl

Our marine ecosystems are collapsing, and 85% of fish stocks are dangerously depleted. But no one is policing the trawlers' plunder, and waste is poisoning our seas. Without an urgent intervention now, our grandchildren may study whales and coral reefs in their history lessons.

Scientists say that what we need right now is a bold plan that sets aside 20% of our blue planet as conservation areas by 2020, allowing the seas to replenish themselves for generations to come; ends subsidies to the industrial fishing complex; and creates a new protection agreement for the oceans outside of national boundaries.

Against the odds, the European Union is pushing for an agreement this week, and has the support of droves of developing countries. But the US is battling to limit the conservation areas and kick decisions on a global treaty far into the future and if they don't get their way, they are threatening to drown the plan completely. This week is do or die for the oceans -- our only hope is to massively and publicly shame the US into shifting its position in the next three days. Sign this urgent petition now:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/72_hours_to_save_the_oceans_us/?vl

We know we can win on oceans. Our community helped establish the largest marine reserve in the world and won protections for whales and tuna. But our oceans are dying faster than ever, and one by one species are coming closer to the brink. Let's demand a comprehensive global oceans rescue plan now.

With hope,

Stephanie, Iain, Allison, Alice, Ricken, Luca, Diego and the rest of the Avaaz team

SOURCES

International Policy: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Pew Environment Group)

http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/compilations/international-policy-united-nations-conference-on-sustainable-development-328397

Six steps for successful oceans negotiations (Greenpeace)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/89557361/Six-Steps-Rio-Oceans-Rescue-Plan-Greenpeace

Our Endangered Oceans (Ecoworld)

http://www.ecoworld.com/animals/our-endangered-oceans.html

Threats to Oceans and Coasts (WWF)

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/