The United Nations has sounded the alarm over an oceans “emergency” and leaders gathering in Nice will be called to commit money and stronger protections for the seas.
“We have a duty to mobilise, because the science is clear and the facts are there,“ said French President Emmanuel Macron in Monaco on Sunday, where he attended a pre-conference event with Britain’s Prince William, among other high-level dignitaries.
“The planet can no longer tolerate broken promises,“ said Lula on Sunday.
'No excuses'
In the evening, he was scheduled to host leaders for a dinner of Mediterranean fish.
A strong turnout was expected from Pacific Island nations, whose delegations will urge financial aid to combat the rising seas, marine trash and plunder of fish stocks.
Conservationists have warned the summit -- which will not produce a legally binding agreement -- risks being a mere talking shop unless leaders come up with concrete proposals to restore marine health.
In a statement, Greenpeace welcomed the decision but said it was “long overdue”.
Pay up
“We’ve created this sort of myth that governments don’t have money for ocean conservation,“ Brian O’Donnell, director of Campaign for Nature, told reporters.
So far, only around eight percent of oceans are designated marine conservation zones and even less are considered truly protected.
France’s environment minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told reporters on Sunday she expected “important announcements” in Nice that would bring a greater share of the world’s oceans under conservation protection.
Conservationists hope others at the summit follow suit.
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.
France is also spearheading a push in Nice to build support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining ahead of a closely-watched meeting of the International Seabed Authority in July.
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