At the “Our Ocean” international conference in Panama City, participants pledged almost 19 billion dollars (17.8 billion euros) for the protection of the seas. The announcement was made by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, Yill del Carmen Otero, on Friday. The pledges alone include $6 billion from the United States.
About 600 delegates from governments, businesses and non-governmental organizations gathered for the two-day conference on Thursday. They discussed the various threats to the oceans and possible protection measures.
Among other things, it was about expanding marine protected areas, reducing stressors in the oceans and ensuring a sustainable “blue economy” – the equivalent of a green economy in relation to the seas.
The purpose of the conference was not a binding agreement, but participants made individual financial commitments. Among other things, the US already pledged about six billion dollars for the protection of the seas this year on Thursday.
The money will be distributed to 77 offshore projects. For its part, the European Union (EU) announced a good 816 million euros for marine protection.