Three Portuguese experts in marine conservation, also belonging to the University of Algarve, published an appeal in the scientific journal Marine Policy, in which they defend that Portugal should lead the international agenda for ocean conservation.
According to the experts, given the current state of degradation of the ocean, “concrete measures based on science, transparent and participatory, are needed to protect it and reverse the deterioration patterns and that Portugal must lead this agenda”.
Bárbara Horta e Costa, Jorge MS Gonçalves and Emanuel Gonçalves are the authors of this appeal, published following the United Nations Ocean Conference, which took place in Lisbon.
Specialists point out that, "being Portugal an oceanic country with one of the largest marine areas in the world, which contains an enormous natural heritage with many species yet to be discovered, which inhabit submarine canyons, estuaries, coastal areas, forests and marine prairies, salt marshes, seamounts, hydrothermal vents, mud volcanoes, abyssal plains and a large area of the open ocean of the Northeast Atlantic, the country has all the conditions to lead the international agenda of marine conservation”, reads a press release.
However, according to experts, in order to achieve the expected success, it is necessary to change the paradigm, in the direction of effective leadership in favor of the protection of the ocean, through bold decisions, concrete actions and measures supported by science.
“We are at a crucial moment for ocean conservation. On the one hand, we face enormous environmental challenges such as the climate emergency and the species extinction crisis. But on the other hand, we currently have the tools and scientific knowledge needed to implement effective marine conservation measures. What is missing now is for leaders around the world to have the courage to implement these measures on the ground”, warns Bárbara Horta e Costa, researcher at the Algarve Marine Science Center (CCMAR-Algarve) and UAlg.
Emanuel Gonçalves, scientific officer and administrator of the Oceano Azul Foundation, researcher at MARE and professor at ISPA, also points out that «the United Nations Ocean Conference may mark a turning point for Portugal, which announced the creation of the largest fully protected area in the Ilhas Selvagens, by the President of the Regional Government of Madeira; the implementation of a network of marine protected areas in 30% of the Azores sea by 2023, by the President of the Regional Government of the Azores; and the approval of the Marine Park of Recife do Algarve, by the Minister of the Environment and Climate Action».
Those responsible for the appeal also say it is necessary for the country, as a whole, to implement its network of marine protected areas, with full or high protection, with science-based processes, led by governments and participated by the community, following the best international standards. such as the Guide to Marine Protected Areas and the IUCN Green List and MCI Blue Parks.
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