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Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Pacific Leaders Rally For Climate-Resilient Fisheries At Third UN Ocean Conference
NICE, FRANCE, 11 JUNE 2025 – Pacific leaders have issued a unified call for urgent global action to protect the world's largest tuna production region from the accelerating impacts of climate change. This message was reinforced at the 3rd UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France during a side event on Tuesday, co-hosted by the Government of Niue and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). Tuvalu Prime Minister Hon. Feleti Teo led the high-level side event with the keynote opening remarks under the theme 'On the Road to Climate-Resilient Fisheries', describing climate change as an existential threat to Pacific Island Countries and Territories. 'Pacific Island countries, including Tuvalu, rely deeply on our tuna resources. For us, tuna is not just food or revenue - it is sovereignty, it is development, and it is dignity,' the Tuvalu Prime Minister said in his keynote address. 'As tuna moves further from our Exclusive Economic Zones to the high seas under the weight of climate change, so too do our hopes of a stable, secure future. This is not just an environmental issue. It is an issue of justice.' He went on to highlight the Pacific's global leadership in sustainable fisheries management, noting that while global discussions continue around achieving sustainability, the Pacific has quietly led by example for decades. Through regional institutions like the FFA and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), Pacific nations have collaborated to sustainably manage tuna stocks – which remain among the healthiest in the world today. H.E. Ambassador Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean, commended Pacific nations for their stewardship and leadership in sustainable fisheries, and called for strengthened international commitment to climate-responsive governance. Niue's Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Mona Ainu'u, reiterated the key role of regional cooperation. 'Our greatest strength lies not in scale, but in solidarity,' Hon. Ainu'u highlighted acknowledging FFA's role in uniting small island nations under a shared vision for sustainable, science-based management of tuna resources. The event also featured key interventions from Papua New Guinea Minister for Fisheries Hon. Jelta Wong, Fiji Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Hon. Alitia Bainivalu, Kiribati Minister for Fisheries and Ocean Resources Hon. Ribanataake Awira, Palau Minister for Fisheries and Environment Hon. Stephen Victor, Marshall Islands Minister for Natural Resources Hon. Anthony Muller, Federated States of Micronesia Minister for Resources and Development Hon. Elina P. Akinaga, and Permanent Secretary for the Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs H.E. Colin Beck. Two voluntary commitments were pledged during the side event: Niue's pioneering Niue Ocean Wide (Niue NOW) initiative and ocean literacy efforts, and the launch of the Pacific Tuna Transparency Pledge that is jointly championed by Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Papua New Guinea. The event concluded with a call to action: to recognize and support the Pacific's decades-long leadership in ocean sustainability and to ensure justice for those bearing the heaviest costs of a crisis they did not create.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
At UN conference, countries inch toward ocean protection goal
More than 170 nations adopted a political declaration at the end of the gathering calling for urgent action. PHOTO: REUTERS NICE, France – Remote coral atolls in the Caribbean. Habitat for threatened sharks and rays around a Tanzanian island in the Indian Ocean. And 900,000 square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean around French Polynesia. These are some of the stretches of water now set aside as part of an international goal to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030. More than 20 new marine protected areas were announced at the third United Nations Ocean Conference, which ended on June 13 in France. Countries and territories pledging new areas included Chile, Colombia, French Polynesia, Portugal, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, the Solomon Islands, Tanzania, and Vanuatu. 'Protecting the ocean is beginning to become fashionable,' said Sylvia Earle, a marine biologist and oceanographer who served as chief scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the 1990s, at an event celebrating a network of protected areas around the Azores. The new designations come at a time when the United States, which sent only two observers to the conference, has moved to reopen the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to commercial fishing. The country is also seeking to unilaterally authorise mining of the seafloor in international waters. More than 60 world leaders attended the June 9-13 conference, with the UN saying the world faced an emergency over the health of the oceans. More than 170 nations adopted a political declaration at the end of the gathering calling for urgent action. 'The ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future, and we remain deeply alarmed by the global emergency it faces. The ocean and its ecosystems are adversely affected by climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution,' the declaration says. France, which hosted the conference with Costa Rica, pushed for a moratorium on deep sea mining, with four new countries pledging their support this past week, bringing the total to 37 countries. Less than 3 per cent of the ocean is currently fully protected from 'extractive' activities such as commercial fishing and mining, according to the Marine Protection Atlas. Peter Thomson, the United Nations secretary-general's special envoy for the ocean, acknowledged at the Azores event that reaching 30 per cent by the 2030 deadline may not happen. But, he said, 'it's not a mythical thing that will never happen'. In order to reach the goal, the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, needs to be enforced with at least 60 countries ratifying it. At the conference, 19 new countries ratified the treaty, bringing the total to 50 individual countries plus the European Union. Once active, the treaty would provide a pathway toward protecting stretches of the ocean beyond individual countries' borders. And in coastal waters within those borders, much remains to be done. A study published in May 2025 found that the average marine protected area today is about 10 square kilometres, meaning about 188,000 more areas of that size are needed – or 85 new marine protected areas a day. These numbers are 'super daunting,' said the report's lead author Kristin Rechberger, CEO of the conservation organisation Dynamic Planet. She wants countries to break through the challenge by decentralising marine protection and allowing coastal communities to create their own small protected areas at a faster pace. A separate report published last week found that countries need to raise US$15.8 billion (S$20.2 billion) a year in order to protect 30 per cent of the ocean. Currently, about US$1.2 billion a year goes toward ocean protection globally. Questions also remain about how meaningful existing protections are. Activists have been pushing the French government to announce a ban on bottom trawling in its marine protected areas. President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would place 4 per cent of its mainland waters under 'strong protection,' limiting bottom trawling, a fishing process that drags nets along the seafloor. This falls short of an existing European Union goal of placing 10 per cent of its waters under 'strict protection,' without commercial fishing of any kind. 'Allowing destructive bottom trawling in most of France's so-called 'protected' areas makes a mockery of ocean protection,' said Alexandra Cousteau, senior adviser to Oceana and granddaughter of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, in a written statement. 'It's like building a fence around a forest and then bulldozing it anyway.' Even where protections from commercial fishing exist around the world, enforcement is often lacking. The United States did not send an official delegation to the conference. Two representatives from the administration's Environmental Advisory Task Force, including Ed Russo, the chair, attended as what the State Department called 'government observers.' John Kerry, the former special presidential envoy for climate under President Joe Biden, said he didn't know what role the United States would play in ocean protection now. 'We have an amazing conglomeration of countries that have come together to improve the marine protected areas,' Mr Kerry said. The announcements this week, however, are 'just building blocks,' he said. 'We are not moving fast enough or at scale.' NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Print
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Print
Inaugural USD4 million DP World India Championship joins 2025 Race to Dubai
The championship will be the eighth of nine events in the 'Back 9' phase of the 2025 Race to Dubai, building towards the season-ending DP World Tour Playoffs and culminating in the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. The event, co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will take place at the Delhi Golf Club from October 16-19. New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) Global smart logistics provider DP World and the DP World Tour have launched the DP World India Championship, a new USD4 million tournament, which will be the largest prize-fund event to be held in the country. The announcement follows the success of this year's Indian Open, won by Spain's Eugenio Chacarra, and further boosts the Tour's momentum in the region. The tournament also marks the Tour's return to the Delhi Golf Club for the first time since 2016. Originally established in the 1930s, the Lodhi Championship Course hosted the inaugural Indian Open in 1964 and was redesigned by Peter Thomson in 1977, with further enhancements by Gary Player Design in 2019. PGTI president, Kapil Dev, said, 'The inaugural DP World India Championship is a landmark moment for Indian golf and a true reflection of India's rising stature on the international golfing stage. 'We look forward to working jointly with our partners at the DP World Tour in making the event a grand success. The tournament provides a great opportunity for our professionals to rub shoulders with some of the best players in the world and gain valuable international exposure. 'A world-class field vying for a record prize purse and playing at a top-notch international venue such as Delhi Golf Club makes for a spectacle for Indian golf fans. The event will greatly contribute to further popularising the sport in our country,' added the former India cricket captain. 'As a long-term partner of the Tour, we are delighted to announce the formation of the DP World India Championship. We are committed to growing the game of golf in the country. We are working to elevate the Tour in every way and drive positive community impact,' said Rizwan Soomar, CEO and managing director, Middle East, North Africa & India Subcontinent of DP World. PTI Cor AM AM AM This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Euronews
05-02-2025
- Health
- Euronews
In deep water: Ocean literacy among young people is worryingly low, new survey finds
There's a concerning disconnect between young people's recognition of the ocean's vital role in climate change and the importance of measures required to protect it, a new global survey has found. A large majority of young people are concerned about the ocean's health - yet they place a higher priority on protecting forests, reducing air pollution, and tackling freshwater scarcity. Young people also have high expectations for governments, NGOs, and local communities but low expectations for businesses, highlighting a misunderstanding about who holds responsibility for ocean pollution, the authors said. The study by the world-leading ocean health initiative Back to Blue found these worrying gaps in ocean literacy levels among 18–24-year-olds in 35 countries. Young people 'do not fully fathom the dire conditions of our oceans' Results from the 3,500 respondents of the survey found that 75 per cent of young people are concerned about the state of ocean health. However, few acknowledge the jeopardy the ocean is in, nor the ways in which this can be prevented - almost half (47 per cent) of young people think the ocean is still healthy. The Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the Philippines are among some of the top countries that believe this, even though they are struggling with plastic pollution, coral reef degradation, and habitat loss. The authors said it strongly indicates that young people 'do not fully fathom the dire conditions of our oceans'. Indeed, 61 per cent prioritise other climate issues, such as deforestation, over ocean conservation. Notably, this perspective is shared by 88 per cent of young people in Panama - a country bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, where the ocean plays a vital role in the economy. 'It is surprising and alarming to see so many young people misjudge the ocean's health. This level of low ocean literacy risks hindering progress and funding for protecting our oceans,' Peter Thomson, UN Ocean Envoy, said. 'We must invest in educating young people about the importance of ocean health and how to safeguard it for the future.' The authors argued that strengthening ocean literacy is pivotal for fostering a deeper understanding of the ocean's multifaceted role. It is not only a driver of local economies through industries like fisheries, tourism, and renewable energy but also a critical buffer against climate change impacts. 'The ocean is one of the most overlooked and underfunded areas in global sustainability, yet its decline directly impacts how we live,' Thomson added. 'We must remember that the ocean is silently dealing with sea level rise, soaring temperatures and acidity levels, as well as irreversible threats to biodiversity because of human activity. The least we can do is understand it better and make it a priority to save.' Improved ocean literacy can help put pressure on policymakers The survey also found little demand amongst young people for significant action or accountability from ocean stakeholders. Less than half of young people want government action that will ensure the ocean's health. Only 17 per cent want to see corporations and businesses take increased responsibility. The latter finding is particularly worrying as the study found that young people are concerned about ocean contamination - chemical pollution (48 per cent) and plastic pollution (50 per cent) - yet they do not know where responsibility lies. Better knowledge of the dangers facing the ocean would increase citizen and stakeholder pressure on policymakers and funding sources, the authors said. 'It's incredibly interesting to see that some young people recognise that the ocean can have a role in addressing the impacts of climate change and that damaging ocean health is detrimental to this,' Emma McKinley, an ocean literacy expert and senior research fellow at Cardiff University, said. 'Yet, this study suggests that not all young people recognise the need to demand more action from governments and the private sector to do more to prioritise ocean health.' The authors of the study called on educators and policymakers to incorporate ocean literacy into school curriculums to 'equip the next generation with the knowledge and tools needed to protect our oceans and address the challenges they face'.
