At the recent U.N. Ocean Conference held in Nice, France, countries revealed over 20 new marine protected areas as part of a global commitment to safeguard the oceans. This movement stems from an ambitious objective to protect 30 percent of oceanic environments by 2030.
Among the new designated areas are critical habitats including Caribbean coral atolls, marine regions around France’s Pacific territories, and vital shark habitats surrounding islands off Tanzania. Countries involved in the pledges include Chile, Colombia, Portugal, and French Polynesia, among others.
Sylvia Earle, a noted marine biologist and oceanographer, illuminated the growing trend towards ocean conservation, noting at an event showcasing the Azores' protected regions that “protecting the ocean is beginning to become fashionable.”
However, the announcements occur against a backdrop of conflicting actions, particularly from the United States, which has only dispatched observers to the event while pursuing commercial fishing opportunities in protected marine areas such as the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument and promoting deep-sea mining in international waters.
France's co-hosting of the event alongside Costa Rica highlighted a push for a moratorium on deep-sea mining. This week, the number of nations supporting this initiative rose to 37, signaling a growing unity for proactive marine protection strategies.
