Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has pledged $260 million in an effort to conserve the world's oceans. This comes as major powers, including the UK and US, are lowering their science and conservation budgets.
Bloomberg wants to "help close the gap between ocean protection commitments and action," according to a statement disclosed to Sky News. With only 10% of the world's oceans protected so far, it seems like world leaders are letting their targets fall behind them, when now is the most crucial time to be looking after our oceans. They absorb about 90% of the world's heat, but if left unprotected will leave us in sweltering temperatures like the heatwave Western Europe is currently experiencing.
Some of the funds will be channelled towards enforcing the High Seas Treaty, a pact signed by 60 countries to establish protected areas in international waters. "The High Seas Treaty shows that the world has the will to protect the ocean," Bloomberg said. "This investment will help ensure we have the way, by scaling up measures that have proven effective and focusing on some of the areas where we can make the biggest difference."
Hopefully this will be enough to keep our oceans protected, or at least help reinforce the idea that conservation is a vital issue as now is a seriously important time to keep the seas free of all our pollutants.
