(Montreal) How to go from 8% marine protected areas to 30% in less than 10 years? This central question is at the heart of a global forum that begins this weekend in Canada to save marine ecosystems facing overfishing, pollution and climate change.
A few weeks after the historic agreement signed at COP15 in Montreal on biodiversity, some 3,000 officials, scientists, members of NGOs and indigenous groups are meeting in Vancouver in western Canada for the 5e Congress of Marine Protected Areas (Impac) until February 9th.
A “crucial” meeting according to scientists, because if the countries of the whole world agreed in December to protect 30% of the planet by 2030, the framework must still be clarified.
And the march is immense for the oceans, which will have to see their protected areas, that is to say those where human activity is restricted or even prohibited, more than triple.
With the aim of preserving animal species in these environments, due to their fragility and the richness of their biodiversity.
The summit, which is normally held every four years, takes place two years late due to the pandemic. It is due to conclude on Thursday with meetings of ministers from different regions of the world.
“We need to rethink our policies, our economies, our priorities to better reflect the important role that nature plays in our health, our well-being and our economic sustainability”, proclaims Canada, which hosts the summit.
Covering almost three quarters of the earth’s surface, the oceans, which are home to a quarter of known species, are crucial for the future of the planet and for humanity, as they absorb 30% of CO2 emissions.2 caused by human activities and play an important role in regulating the climate.
“COP15 marked a historic turning point in nature conservation efforts” but “the pressure is now on, not only to meet the numerical target, but also to ensure that we do it well”, explains to the AFP Pepe Clarke of the WWF organization. Some experts indeed fear the “politics of figures”.
Global network
Biodiversity hotspots or particularly vulnerable areas that deserve urgent conservation measures have been identified, say the scientists.
And it is also essential to have planetary discussions to “establish a global network, ecologically representative and which adequately protects the whole range of ecosystem types”, adds Pepe Clarke.
Especially since by protecting and managing our oceans more sustainably, this will make them more resistant to climate change.
And even if “the ambitious objective of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 within high quality protected areas is achieved”, we must also put in place “appropriate management of the remaining 70% of the ocean”, recalls the NGO Pew Charitable Trusts.
For Sian Owen, director of the Deep Sea Protection Coalition (DSCC), it is particularly “crucial that existing and emerging industries that threaten our deep ocean are quickly and unequivocally rejected and that we manage the remaining 70% sustainably. »
In this case, the member states of the UN are meeting again at the end of February to try to reach a treaty for the protection of the high seas, a session which should in principle be the last.
Protecting these international waters, which cover almost half the planet, is crucial for the health of the entire ocean, rich in biodiversity, and essential to limit global warming.