The European Union plans to spend 3.5 billion euros this year to protect the ocean and promote sustainable development.
This was announced by European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginius Sinkevicius, Reuters reports.
At the annual "Our Ocean" conference in Athens, attended by representatives of about 120 countries, 40 commitments were announced, covering a wide range of initiatives: from combating marine pollution to supporting sustainable fisheries and investing in the so-called blue economy.
"The ocean is part of who we are, and it is our shared responsibility," Sinkevičius said.
The commitments reportedly include support for 14 investments and sustainable fisheries reform in Cyprus, Greece, Poland and Portugal, totaling about €1.9 billion. In addition, €980 million from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Fund will be used to combat marine pollution.
Other investments will be used to help African countries develop the blue economy.
As EcoPolitic reported earlier, more than 100 countries have signed the first UN international treaty on the protection of the high seas, i.e. the part of the world's oceans outside the economic zones of countries.
