So often that means that everything comes to a standstill -- a stalemate during which each country watches to see who is going to make the first move. Smaller countries that take a stand and try and move this 'train' forward are laughed at by bigger fishing countries or economic powers. Sometimes, a single state who objects loudly to the whole thing moving forward manages to push the 'train' backwards. But every now and then, a group of countries joins together. They may not be the richest or the biggest. They may not have a huge fishing fleet or navy or advanced technology at their fingertips. But they work together to push that train and manage to slowly help it go a bit faster, help it to gather speed as it heads towards its final destination: a decision that could fundamentally change the way our oceans are exploited and conserve the marine life that inhabits it. I think, I am not absolutely sure, but I think that this may have happened at the United Nations in New York today. The train hasn't moved forward yet, but it is no longer going backwards.

Greenpeace laid down a challenge to the countries of the world today at the UN. We said, "One hundred years from now, when historians look back to write a definitive history of our ocean planet, they could write one of two things: that this gathering marked a turning point for the conservation of the marine life of the open ocean, or, that this meeting marked the moment at which an open-door was closed, marking the loss of a crucial opportunity to secure the future health of marine life in international waters."

We talked about what needs to be done (click here to see our full statement) and then we said, "Mahatma Ghandi once said, “There's enough on this planet for everyone's needs but not for everyone's greed.” Perhaps Ghandi’s words provide a mantra for the discussions this week - so that when those historians sit down to write the history of this time, they can write that you secured the vitality and wealth of the marine life in our oceans for all time."

Only the discussions over the rest of the week will tell what will really happen. And hopefully, Merav and Cristian will be here to join in defending our oceans in beautiful, snow-covered New York to see whether countries meet the challenge to get together and start pushing that train forward towards the station.

If you want to learn more about the UN oceans meeting in New York, go to the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (the newspaper that reports on meetings such as these) for an English, Spanish or French introduction to the issues.