MELBOURNE, Feb 17, 2021 – The Australian Federal Government has taken an important step towards global ocean protection by joining almost 40 other countries in the Global Oceans Alliance, which calls for 30% of the ocean to be protected by 2030.
This target is crucial in order to safeguard wildlife and to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, and involves developing a network of Marine Protected Areas all over the world.
“From climate change to ocean acidification, overfishing and pollution, our oceans are under threat like never before,” said Greenpeace Australia Pacific spokesperson Nelli Stevenson.
“Our spectacular ocean wildlife is being harmed at an alarming rate through the unbelievable pressure being put on our oceans.”
“Protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 is a crucial step to not only ensuring that our oceans are protected from the worsening impacts of climate change, but that marine wildlife is protected from poaching, overfishing, and habitat destruction.”
“This is an important move by the Australian Federal Government, however, if it is serious about protecting our oceans it must also tackle the mining and burning of coal, oil and gas – key drivers of climate change which is already devastating our Great Barrier Reef and Tasmanian kelp forests at home in Australia.”
Notes
Download the “30×30: A Blueprint for Ocean Protection” report here – a collaboration between Greenpeace and leading academics at the University of York and University of Oxford
Download captivating ocean images here
Contact
Greenpeace Australia Pacific Communications Campaigner, Martin Zavan
0424 295 422