At the International Conference on Protecting the Seas in Our Ocean in Panama City, the European Union pledged €816.5 million to protect the seas in 2023. The EU wants to “protect, revitalize and nurture” the oceans, according to a statement released yesterday. “The oceans are part of who we are and we are responsible for them together,” said EU Fisheries Commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius.
Brussels said the funding reaffirms its “strong commitment to international maritime policy”. The €816.5 million is thus divided into “39 commitments”, including about €320 million for “marine research to protect marine biodiversity and deal with the effects of climate change on the oceans”.
Top politicians gathered at the conference to discuss diverse threats to the world’s oceans – from climate change and pollution to overfishing and resource extraction. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on negotiators of member states to conclude a “strong and ambitious” agreement on the high seas. The international community has been debating this for more than 15 years.
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