Pakistan calls for global action to protect oceans

PARIS: Pakistan has called for ambitious global action to protect oceans for the future generations.

The statement was made by the Ambassador of Pakistan to France, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference being held in Nice, France, says a press release.

In her statement, the ambassador highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to address the challenge of degradation of marine resources and ecosystems. She emphasised the importance of international collaboration underlining that isolated national efforts alone would not suffice to conserve and sustainably use the marine and coastal resources.

She called for finding global solutions to protect the oceans through scaled up means of implementation, such as financing, technology transfer and capacity building.

She also expressed the centrality of the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities in combating climate change. She expressed Pakistan’s intention to become a signatory of the BBNJ Agreement.

The ambassador expressed Pakistan’s concern at the grave implications for the ecosystem of the Arabian Sea because of the unilateral measures taken by one country in the neighbourhood, in disrupting long-standing cooperative water-sharing agreement and arrangements. She urged the international community to condemn these attempts to weaponise water, and call for upholding international law and treaty obligations.