Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama agreed to extend their marine areas and jointly protect them in the Tropical Pacific, they announced at the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow.
“We are protecting ecosystems as valuable as Galapagos, such as Cocos Island and its surroundings, from the most valuable ecosystems in the world,” said the president of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado Quesada.
This initiative began to take shape in 2004, when the four countries created the Marine Corridor in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (CMAR) through a joint declaration that proposed to conserve the Galapagos, Gorgona, Malpelo, Coiba and Cocos islands. Since then, they have focused on the sustainable management of marine resources threatened by illegal fishing, the conservation of ecosystems, responsible tourism and the control of protected areas.
“This corridor is home to an exceptional biodiversity, endemism and concentration of species, including important migratory species that support fishing production and tourism throughout its length,” explained the Ministry of the Environment of Panama in a statement.
Latin American countries seek to achieve the 30X30 goal, which consists of protecting 30% of the land surface and the maritime area by 2030 to face the climate crisis.
Colombian President Iván Duque assured that it is the “largest marine protected area in the Western Hemisphere”, because each country is enlarged by “tens of thousands of kilometers.” In the case of Colombia, an additional 16 million hectares will be protected in maritime zones.
“We have heard many speeches related to climate change, many commitments, most of which are not fulfilled … that is a powerful message, an action and that is what the country and the world need,” said the president of Panama, Laurentino. Cortizo.
The UK Environment Minister, Lord Zac Goldsmith, also stressed that the Latin American initiative constitutes a “real solution” that will benefit the entire world.
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