More than a dozen countries, including the United States, pledged on Tuesday to step up protection of their national waters, but activists said the promise lacked the ambition needed to reverse the ongoing destruction of oceans.
The pledge is among a series of commitments being made at the U.N. COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, where leaders and negotiators have gathered to keep alive a receding target of capping global temperatures at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.
Greenpeace, an environmental NGO, called the declaration “weak”.
“We need to see action to create a network of ocean sanctuaries that cover at least 30% of our oceans by 2030,” said Louisa Cason, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK.
“We need areas with zero commercial extraction, where nature and fish populations that fisheries depend on can recover and thrive.”
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https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/pledge-protect-oceans-fight-climate-change-is-weak-ngo-2021-11-03/