Biden is making moves to protect our oceans. Photo: Matt Hardy//Unsplash
The United States is making big moves to protect the world’s oceans. During the Our Ocean Conference in Panama the United States announced that it plans to invest six billion dollars to restore and protect the oceans from pollution, climate change, and other threats. This number doubles what the U.S. originally announced in 2022.
U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John F. Kerry was in attendance at the conference and pointed out that the warming of the planet translates to rising ocean temperatures and sea level rise. As a result of rising ocean temperatures, coral reefs can be destroyed, forcing fish to migrate to new homes.
“Human actions are threatening the very ability of ocean ecosystems to survive,” Kerry stated at the conference.
Of the six billion pledged, five billion will be dedicated to climate change. In correlation with Congress, the Biden-Harris administration plans to work to promote green shipping, sustainable offshore renewable energy, early warning systems in the Pacific and Caribbean, and programs to help Pacific Island and the Caribbean safe guard their ocean-dependent economies.
In addition to the six billion, the United States also announced that it plans to invest $665 million to support sustainable fisheries, $200 million to address marine pollution, $73 million for sustainable blue economies, $72 million for maritime security, and $11 million for marine protected areas.
“We simply must accelerate the transition to a clean energy future,” Kerry said. “I cannot stress this enough.”
