A glimmer of hope’ for sea life at UN ocean summit
CLIMATE
"Fine words” that “must now translate into action” – that was Greenpeace’s verdict on the UN Ocean Conference, which wrapped up in Nice last weekend
The summit offered some signs of progress in the race to save our oceans with more nations ratifying a global treaty to protect 30% of the high seas by 2030, Jamaica, Indonesia and Norway among them. It means that 50 nations have now ratified the treaty – just shy of the 60 needed to make it law. The UK is a notable heel dragger.
“High seas treaty ratification is within touching distance,” said Greenpeace’s Megan Randles, adding: “The UK’s timetable for ratifying the treaty looks glacial.”
However, Randles welcomed the UK government’s commitment to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas, saying it was “very good news” for the UK’s sea life.
Calls to halt deep-sea mining also gained momentum in Nice, with 37 countries supporting a precautionary pause or outright ban. Tom Pickerell of the World Resources Institute said it was “a hopeful sign of political will to protect fragile ecosystems”.
“There’s real momentum coming out of Nice but also a lot of unfinished business,” he added. “While some progress was made, not all governments fully seized it.”
Source : positive news
Image: Randall Ruiz