The Autonomous Region of Azores assigned the status of protected area to 30% of the sea that surrounds the archipelago, an extension of 287 thousand square kilometerswhich transforms the area into the largest network of marine protected areas in the North Atlantic.
According to the Regional Government, half of this area will be fully protected, with the prohibition of all extractive or destructive activitieswith high protection status being applied to the rest of the territory. In this way, “a sanctuary for migratory species, deep-sea fish, deep-sea corals and unique hydrothermal vent ecosystems” will be created.
The decision, which the Azorean Executive classifies as “historic and pioneering”, was approved on the eve of the start of the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity (CBD COP16), establishing a “strong precedent for the upcoming negotiations”, at a time when 196 countries work to achieve the goal of protecting 30% of the world’s land and marine areas by 2030established in the Kunming-Montreal Agreement.
Signed in 2022, the Agreement aims to reverse the accelerated loss of biodiversity worldwide and halt the continued decline of fauna and flora species. Currently, around one million species are at risk of extinction and 70% of ecosystems are threatened by human activity.
Although almost 200 countries have approved that target, there is a lack of concrete plans and funding to achieve it. The COP starts on Monday, but only 15% of the states represented presented new national strategies or action plans.
Therefore, the Regional Government of the Azores emphasizes that the decision comes “at a crucial moment” and “serves as an example for other states” with regard to global ocean protection objectives, contributing significantly to the European Union’s Biodiversity Strategy .
“With this decision, we are leading the way towards a productive and healthy ocean. The sea is an integral part of our collective identity, being vital socially, culturally and economically. We are committed to protecting and restoring our ocean to support a healthy blue economy”, emphasizes, in a statement, the president of the Regional Government, Jose Manuel Bolieiro.
With an area of approximately one million square kilometers, the Azores Sea represents 55% of Portuguese waters and around 15% of European waters, containing some of the most important and fragile island, open sea and deep water environments in the North Atlantic. .
Source: expresso.pt
