The EU pact aims to restore the natural environment in the oceans and boost the competitiveness of the maritime industry, Euronews reports.
The EU has concluded a new pact on the oceans designed to protect Europe’s coastline and “life in and around the sea,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice.
The EU’s goal is to restore 20% of Europe’s marine ecosystems by 2030, she explained.
“We will strive to cut plastic and nutrient pollution by half within five years,” von der Leyen announced, adding: “We will restore natural habitats and shelter our coasts more effectively from the impact of climate change.”
The European Commission adopted the pact last Thursday. The strategy aims to strengthen the protection and restoration of the oceans by supporting member states and revising a number of European laws relating to marine areas.
The EU’s executive body also wants to boost the competitiveness of the maritime industry with a new strategy for the sector and a strategy for EU ports.
“Our fishers work tirelessly to feed us, day and night, in all conditions. Yet extreme weather and unfair competition are pushing too many of them out of business,” the Commission president said, announcing some grants to support small-scale fisheries.
Von der Leyen also promised to allocate €1 billion to 50 projects around the world for scientists and environmentalists, a third of which will go towards funding research and scientific projects.
According to the Commission’s statement, the pact should lead to the adoption of specific legislation to be proposed by 2027.
France puts open seas treaty up for discussion
Eight years after the first conference in New York, France is hosting the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which is taking place from Monday to Friday in Nice. Around 60 countries are coming together to support the protection and restoration of ocean spaces damaged by human activity.
Unlike the United Nations Climate Change Conferences, or COPs, no formal agreement can be reached during UNOC3.
However, France hopes to gather as many signatures as possible for the High Seas Treaty, which must be ratified by 60 countries to enter into force. The treaty aims to create marine protected areas in international waters.
“Today, we are inches away from the 60 signatures for ratification,” von der Leyen said, announcing €40 million for the Global Ocean programme designed to strengthen protection of oceans in least developed countries.
“Please speed up ratification. Because our ocean needs us to play its part,” she also added.
