More than €300 million in financial support has been unlocked this week to help boost ocean conservation efforts and jump-start critical areas of the blue economy across the European Union and its partners while shoring up developments to tackle marine pollution, advance marine protected areas and sustainable fisheries, and fight climate change.
Announced at the Our Ocean Conference in Busan, South Korea this week, a total financial package of €301,485,000 will be spread across each of the outlined areas, the greatest share of which (some €120 million) directed towards powering-up sustainable blue economy efforts across various African and Pacific countries.
This financial support will correspond to €58 million in support for the Western Indian Ocean, a €42 million package for efforts in Central Africa, and €20 million for the Pacific.
The announcement was made by Raphaël Goulet, the Deputy Director for International Ocean Governance and Sustainable Fisheries of the European Commission and delivered during a special ‘Commitments’ proceeding during the Our Ocean Conference in Busan.