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The importance of ocean in the fight against climate change and progress being made to help protect it will come under the spotlight at a meeting this week (Thursday 9 March).

In January 2022, Â鶹ÊÓƵ became the first local authority in the north of England to declare an urgent need for ocean recovery through it's 'Motion for the Ocean'.

The Ocean Recovery Declaration recognises the value of ocean recovery in helping the Council to meets its target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. It set out a series of pledges.

Members will receive an overview of the work to date against these pledges when they meet on Thursday 9 March.

Councillor Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Transport and Neighbourhoods, said: "By endorsing the Motion for the Ocean we made a commitment to take positive action to help enhance and restore nature and protect our beautiful coastline. This not only has environmental benefits but for communities like South Tyneside, it supports our tourism industry.

"Our work is wide ranging, from educating residents, schoolchildren and businesses on how they can help reduce their impact on the ocean to strengthening partnerships, embedding ocean recovery in all of the Council's strategic decisions and pushing for policy change at national level.

"This declaration towards ocean recovery also enables us to lead by example and inspire and empower local communities and businesses to do the same."

Â鶹ÊÓƵ is the lead authority for the Local Government Association's Coastal Special Interest Group (SIG) and is lobbying the government on ocean recovery and all marine and coastal matters on behalf of coastal communities nationally. It is also calling for a dedicated Minister for Coastal Communities.

It also leads the region's Stronger Shores project which involves restoring marine habitats, such as kelp and seagrass, and looking at how they can help to protect coastal communities from the impacts of climate change such as flooding and erosion. The project could help to influence national ocean recovery policy in the future.

In addition, the Council is a partner on the SeaScapes scheme, which aims to better connect communities with the ocean and create opportunities for learning, access and enjoyment, as well as being a partner on the North Eastern IFCA (Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority) and Tyne Estuary Partnership.

Over the coming year, the Council will be supporting Eco-Schools to promote the topic of marine and sustainability issues among schoolchildren while continuing to work with the Marine School and South Tyneside College to promote marine, maritime and blue carbon training.

Through the 'Protect our Ocean' campaign, the Council continues to highlight the importance of coastal education, around issues such as single-use plastics and reusable materials as well as encouraging businesses to help do what they can to reduce pollution by considering what chemicals they use in their operations and disposal methods.

Other work planned supports the national '2023 Year of the Coast' initiative, with a tribute in future exhibition space and as part of this year's South Tyneside Summer Parade.

Councillor Gibson added: "While we are making progress, there is much more to do to move from ocean decline to recovery for the benefit of our economies, our communities and the natural environment on which they depend. Partnership working and making a collective effort is key to improving our understanding of ocean recovery and taking the action needed to protect it for the future."

The meeting of Borough Council is taking place on Thursday 9 March, at 6pm, in South Shields Town Hall.The meeting isalso livestreamed on the Council's YouTube channel at