The third U.N. Ocean Conference has made waves in ocean conservation by announcing over 20 new marine protected areas (MPAs) aimed at achieving the ambitious goal of protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. Countries and territories involved in this pledge include Chile, Colombia, French Polynesia, Portugal, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, the Solomon Islands, Tanzania, and Vanuatu.
Marine biologist Sylvia Earle remarked, “Protecting the ocean is beginning to become fashionable,” highlighting the growing global interest in safeguarding marine ecosystems.
As countries celebrate new protections, there’s concern over the United States, which has pushed to permit commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument and is considering deep-sea mining in international waters. In contrast, France, a co-host of the conference alongside Costa Rica, advocated a moratorium on deep-sea mining, gaining support from four additional countries, boosting the total to 37.
This evolving narrative showcases the balancing act between conservation and commercial interests in our oceans.
