Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

A message for the ocean from Relay4Nature in Cascais, Portugal

by The Ocean Race 17 Jul 2021 07:18 PDT
Coastal Racing in The Ocean Race Europe © Sailing Energy / The Ocean Race

Joana Pinto Balsemão, the Executive Councillor for the Environment and Citizenship at Cascais Municipality reveals her fears and hopes for the ocean.

During the second stopover of The Ocean Race Europe in Cascais, Portugal, Relay4Nature had the pleasure of meeting with Joana Pinto Balsemão, the Executive Councillor for the Environment and Citizenship at Cascais Municipality. As a councillor who is responsible for environmental policies, she was eager to contribute a message towards the Relay4Nature project.

"I think cities have a really important role to play here," she said. "The seas have connected people and geographies for centuries. Today we know that they connect so much more."

"We really are entering an era where planetary balance is at risk. My biggest fear about climate change is that we, as human beings, lose control. If the ocean collapses, so does the climate, biodiversity and the production of oxygen. Whilst we're still in control, we have to do something - both individually and collectively."

The Relay4Nature baton will be presented during COP26, the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, due to be held in Glasgow later this year. During The Ocean Race Europe, teams were encouraged to engage with their key stakeholders, sponsors, host ports and affiliated organisations on the topic of climate change and ocean health, generating messages of urgency to world leaders and decision makers.

Contributing her own message towards Relay4Nature, Joana Balsemão urged world leaders to make the fundamental decisions and policies needed to mitigate climate change.

"We know that every single action counts. We know that every decision made at COP26 in Glasgow will be fundamental, and we know that the actions and decisions taken by cities play a fundamental role in climate action."

"Our spirit as humanity is not small, let's harness our ingenuity, our sense of belonging, our common sense of mission. Let's cherish and save this blue common thread that connects us all - the ocean. This is a truly worthwhile cause."

After the finale of The Ocean Race Europe in Genoa, Italy, the Relay4Nature baton was carried on board Team Viva México to Alicante, Spain, the home of The Ocean Race. From here, it will continue its journey to the IUCN Congress in Marseille in September, before making its way to COP26 in November 2021.

Related Articles

The Ocean Race Europe 2025: The summer of racing
Biotherm delivered a masterclass - Paprec Arkéa a lesson in consistency This Saturday, after a fiercely contested final race, the second edition of The Ocean Race Europe came to a close. It was a seven-week adventure from Germany to Montenegro, full of twists and turns, resilience, and raw emotion. Posted on 21 Sep
Biotherm takes the win
Spectacular Coastal Race in Boka Bay marks the end of The Ocean Race Europe The Boka Bay Coastal Race was a perfect reflection of this edition of The Ocean Race Europe: spectacular. And as they did over and over again during the past six weeks, it was Paul Meilhat's Biotherm who secured victory. Posted on 20 Sep
The Ocean Race Europe is heading towards its final
All to play for in the final weekend of racing in Boka Bay, Montenegro The Ocean Race Europe 2025 is heading towards its Finale in Boka Bay, Montenegro. With the last points still in play, the final coastal race on Saturday will decide the remaining positions. Posted on 19 Sep
Biotherm win final leg into Montenegro
To seal dominant overall victory in The Ocean Race Europe 2025 Paul Meilhat's French-flagged IMOCA Biotherm has won the fifth and final stage of The Ocean Race Europe - the 1,600-nautical mile leg from Genova, Italy to Boka Bay in Montenegro - and in doing so has confirmed a spectacular overall win. Posted on 15 Sep
The Ocean Race Europe Leg 5 Day 8
The fleet pushes north towards Boka Bay The battle for the podium positions on fifth and final stage of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 looks set to come to an exciting conclusion over the next 24 hours as the top five teams close in on the finish line in Boka Bay in Montenegro. Posted on 14 Sep
The Ocean Race Europe Leg 5 Day 7
Meilhat's Biotherm leads the way on the Road to Boka Bay Paul Meilhat's Biotherm (FRA), the overall leader of The Ocean Race Europe, has now taken the lead on the sixth day of the race's fifth leg from Genova, Italy to Boka Bay in Montenegro. Posted on 13 Sep
The Ocean Race Europe Leg 5 Day 6
Seven miles separate the leading pack on the approach to the eastern waypoint Light winds yesterday afternoon to the south of the Italian island of Sicily has re-shuffled the leading pack in The Ocean Race Europe 2025 and given Swiss entry Team Holcim - PRB the opportunity to stage a spectacular comeback from a distant fifth place. Posted on 12 Sep
The Ocean Race Europe Leg 5 Day 5
No time to rest for the frontrunners as the leading pack faces tricky Mediterranean conditions The top four are set to compress as Team Holcim - PRB in fifth looks for comeback opportunity Posted on 11 Sep
The Ocean Race Europe Leg 5 Day 4
Fast speeds and high stakes in thundery conditions as the fleet approaches Sicily After two days of predominantly light wind sailing and slow progress for the fleet, the top four teams - Paprec Arkéa (FRA), Biotherm (FRA), Allagrande Mapei (ITA), and Team Malizia (GER) - were the first to experience a low pressure weather system. Posted on 10 Sep
TORE: Leg 5 Day 3: Tight at mid-point
The four lead boats are covered by a small margin. They are expected to round at 1900hrs At the halfway point of Leg 5 of The Ocean Race Europe, the four lead boats are covered by a small margin. Provided the light breeze holds, they are expected to round at 1900hrs.. Posted on 10 Sep
V-DRY-XLloyd Stevenson - Catalyst Yacht Tender 1456x180px BOTTOMArmstrong 728x90 - Wing FG Board Range - BOTTOM