logo
UN summit to tackle 'emergency' in world's oceans

UN summit to tackle 'emergency' in world's oceans

RTÉ News​2 days ago

A global summit on the dire state of the oceans kicks off in France, with calls to ban bottom trawling and bolster protections for the world's overexploited marine areas.
World leaders attending the UN Ocean Conference in Nice have been told to come up with concrete ideas - and money - to tackle what organisers call a global "emergency" facing the neglected seas.
The appeal for unity comes as nations tussle over a global plastics pollution treaty, and the United States sidesteps international efforts to regulate deep-sea mining.
On the eve of the summit, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that leaders must act now: "The planet can no longer tolerate broken promises."
A wave of new commitments is expected Monday in Nice, where around 60 heads of state and government will join thousands of business leaders, scientists and civil society activists.
"Never in the history of humanity have we brought together so many people for the oceans," French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday before hosting leaders for an official dinner.
Trawling targeted
On Monday, the United Kingdom is expected to announce a partial ban on bottom trawling in half its marine protected areas, putting the destructive fishing method squarely on the summit agenda.
Bottom trawling sees huge fishing nets dragged across the ocean floor, a process shockingly captured in a recent documentary by British naturalist David Attenborough.
Greenpeace welcomed the UK announcement on trawling but said in a statement it was "long overdue".
Mr Macron on Saturday said France would restrict trawling in some of its marine protected areas but was criticised by environment groups for not going far enough.
French environment minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told reporters that other countries would make "important announcements" about the creation of new marine protected areas.
Samoa led the way this past week, announcing that 30 percent of its national waters would be under protection with the creation of nine marine parks.
Just eight percent of global oceans are designated for marine conservation, despite a globally agreed target to achieve 30% coverage by 2030.
But even fewer are considered truly protected, as some countries impose next to no rules on what is forbidden in marine zones or lack the finance to enforce any rules.
Words into action
Nations will face calls to cough up the missing finance for ocean protection, which is the least funded of all the UN's 17 sustainable development goals.
Small island states are expected in numbers at the summit, to demand money and political support to combat rising seas, marine trash and the plunder of fish stocks.
The summit will not produce a legally binding agreement at its close, like a climate COP or treaty negotiation.
But diplomats and other observers said it could mark a much needed turning point in global ocean conservation if leaders rose to the occasion.
"The UN Ocean Conference gives us all an opportunity to turn words into bold and ambitious action," said Enric Sala, founder of Pristine Seas, an ocean conservation group.
Another summit priority will be inching towards the numbers required to ratify a global treaty on harmful fishing subsidies, and another on protecting the high seas beyond national control.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

GAA hopeful for Casement Park funding as part of UK Government spending review
GAA hopeful for Casement Park funding as part of UK Government spending review

The Journal

time25 minutes ago

  • The Journal

GAA hopeful for Casement Park funding as part of UK Government spending review

THE GAA COULD receive some good news in relation to the long-running Casement Park saga as part of the UK Government's spending review. At around 12.30pm today, British Chancellor Rachel Reeves will unveil her government's spending review, which sets the budgets for UK government departments over the next few years. The UK Government has indicated that its spending review will be the juncture when it confirms whether or not it will make a financial contribution to help deliver the stalled plans to redevelop the derelict Gaelic games venue. It's been 12 years since a match was last played at Casement, the home of Antrim GAA. Casement Park has planning permission until July 2026 and it is hoped construction can start before then. Funding shortfall The Stormont Executive had committed to redevelop Casement Park in 2011, as part of a strategy to revamp football's Windsor Park and the rugby ground at Ravenhill. Advertisement While the two other Belfast-based projects went ahead, the redevelopment of Casement, which is currently derelict, was delayed because of legal challenges by local residents. General view of Casement Park stadium in Belfast Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo In the time since, the cost of redeveloping Casement into a 34,000 capacity venue has increased significantly. It has been planned that a redeveloped Casement Park would host games at the Euro 2028, but last September the UK Government ended these hopes when it said it would not bridge a funding gap to deliver the redevelopment in time. As well as the Stormont contribution of £62.5 million, the Irish Government has offered roughly £42 million (€50m) and the GAA has pledged to contribute £15 million. But it has been reported that the cost of the project has fallen to £270 million, still leaving a funding shortfall of about £150 million. Ulster GAA's CEO Brian McAvoy last week said he is 'hopeful' of receiving funding in the spending review but acknowledged that any funding would not bridge this funding gap. McAvoy noted that Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn had made clear last month that even if the UK Government does divert money to the project, the sum will not alone bridge the current funding gap. Related Reads How did the plan to redevelop Casement Park fall apart? Taoiseach: Irish government will 'work closely' with UK on issue of Casement Park Hilary Benn: Casement Park will be built 'one way or another' However, Sinn Féin vice president and First Minister Michelle O'Neill said last month that she is 'determined to see it over the line'. 'That means working with the British government, the Irish government, the GAA and all partners who are committed to ensuring that this project gets over the line,' said O'Neill. 'We missed a huge opportunity in terms of the Euros not being able to play and have our part in all of that, and the economic benefit that that would have brought to us all. 'I am determined to continue to work with everybody to ensure that the funding contribution is put on the table so that we can get on with actually building the project.' -With additional reporting from Press Association Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal

At least 31 killed and 'about 200' wounded by Israeli fire at Gaza food distribution site
At least 31 killed and 'about 200' wounded by Israeli fire at Gaza food distribution site

The Journal

time25 minutes ago

  • The Journal

At least 31 killed and 'about 200' wounded by Israeli fire at Gaza food distribution site

ISRAELI FORCES HAVE opened fire on people waiting to enter a food distribution centre run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, killing 31 and wounding 'about 200″, according to the local civil defence agency. 'We transported at least 31 martyrs and about 200 wounded as a result of Israeli tank and drone fire on thousands of citizens… on their way to receive food from the American aid centre,' civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. Restrictions imposed on media in the Gaza Strip and the difficulties of access on the ground mean AFP is not able to independently verify the death tolls announced by the civil defence agency. Bassal said thousands of Palestinians had been gathering since 2 am in the hope of reaching the food distribution centre. 'Israeli tanks fired several times, then at around 5:30 am, intensified their fire, coinciding with heavy fire from drones targeting civilians,' he said. There have been a series of deadly shootings by Israeli forces since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) first opened aid distribution points in the Palestinian territory on 27 May. Advertisement The introduction of this new US and Israeli-backed entity into the besieged Palestinian territory has been part of Israel's plan to circumvent UN agencies and NGOs that already work in Gaza and have done so for decades. Those UN agencies and officials repeatedly condemned the establishment of the organisation, warning that it would allow Israel to weaponise the provision of food. NGOs said it would only serve to allow Israel to carry out a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, and endorsed by Israeli government officials, which is to remove the Palestinian population from the area. Trump's proposal to 'clean out' Gaza has been widely condemned as a plan for ethnic cleansing. The man who was initially heading up the organisation, US military veteran Jake Wood, resigned the day before it began operating in Gaza, citing similar concerns to those expressed by the UN. Israel has said the GHF is a means of preventing food and other supplies from falling into the hands of Hamas. In mid-May, Tom Fletcher of the UN's humanitarian affairs office called the Israeli-US plan to take over aid distribution 'a cynical sideshow'. With reporting from AFP Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal

Reeves to make £2 trillion plus bet on 'Britain's renewal'
Reeves to make £2 trillion plus bet on 'Britain's renewal'

RTÉ News​

time40 minutes ago

  • RTÉ News​

Reeves to make £2 trillion plus bet on 'Britain's renewal'

British finance minister Rachel Reeves will divide up more than £2 trillion of public spending today in a speech she hopes will foster a sense of national renewal and make clear the year-old UK government's political priorities. In an address to parliament, Reeves will set out day-to-day budgets for government departments from 2026 to 2029 and investment plans out to 2030. Reeves set the overall total for spending in an October budget, financing her plan with the biggest tax rise in a generation and looser fiscal rules that make it easier for her to borrow to cover long-term investment. The choices she announces today must start paying off quickly if Labour is to achieve its goals of boosting Britain's growth rate and improving the quality of overstretched public services. "This government is renewing Britain. But I know too many people in too many parts of the country are yet to feel it," Reeves is expected to tell parliament, according to speech extracts released by the finance ministry. Reeves said the government would "invest in our country's security, health and economy so working people all over our country are better off." Among the projects announced today was likely to be a £39 billion 10-year programme to build lower-cost housing - almost doubling the annual amount spent on this compared with existing support, the finance ministry said. Since its sweeping election victory last July, Labour has seen its popularity slide. The right-wing Reform Party led by former Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage is now ahead of it in the polls and outperformed it in English local elections last month. While Britain's economy recorded the fastest growth of the Group of Seven advanced economies in the first quarter of this year, the International Monetary Fund has forecast that in coming years it will lag behind the US and Canada and barely outperform the euro zone. Official data yesterday showed the jobless rate had hit its highest in nearly four years - which the opposition Conservatives blamed on Reeves' October decision to place the main burden of tax rises on employers and boost workers' rights. Discussions between Reeves and government ministers have continued into this week over how big a slice their departments will receive of a pie whose size was set last year. Plans announced so far include £86 billion on research and development, £16 billion on public transport, £4 billion on a new nuclear power station, £6 billion on nuclear submarines and £4 billion on prisons. The final spending increases are unlikely to be shared out equally. Capital-intensive plans to raise defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product, announced by Starmer in February, mean other departments will see no real-terms increase in the pace of investment after this year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank estimates. Day-to-day spending on public services is due to rise by an average of 1.2% a year on top of inflation between 2026-27 and 2028-29, while capital budgets will increase by an average of 1.3% in real terms through to 2029-30, according to the IFS. Both rates of growth are much slower than in the current financial year, when investment spending is set to jump by 11.6% and current spending rises by 2.5%. For day-to-day spending, increasing the health budget by 2 percentage points more than the average - as was typical when Labour was last in power before 2010 - would mean real-terms cuts of 1% a year for other departments, the IFS said. Chris Jeffery, head of macro strategy at Legal & General, Britain's largest asset manager, said the fact that the overall spending total was known limited the impact for investors. Instead, financial markets would be most focused on whether any proposed cuts looked realistic for the departments affected. "If they're imposing really large real-terms cuts in spending, then I think the market will come to the conclusion that these are less likely to be delivered than if they are less aggressive," he said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store