The European Union has pledged €3.5 billion to protect the world’s oceans, as Silicon Republic reports.
A raft of commitments to support marine protected areas (MPAs), improve ocean observation programmes and more was made at the Our Ocean Conference in Athens, Greece on Tuesday (16 April).
Sustainable fisheries projects in Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain and Poland will benefit from up to €1.9 billion of investment.
EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius said the EU has confirmed its “strong commitment to protect the ocean” with this announcement.
“The European Union continues standing up for the ocean,” Sinkevičius said. “The ocean is part of who we are, and our shared responsibility.” Silicon Republic has more on the story HERE.
Ireland is earmarked to receive more than €15 million in funding to develop its network of MPAs — but the Government has been criticised for missing the deadline on the Marine Protected Areas Bill, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.