News
Pioneer initiative to triple Brazil’s marine protected areas project
Approved by the World Bank Board of Directors, the 18.2 million dollars Marine Protected Areas Project in Brazil will benefit the 43 million people who live in the country’s 514 thousand km2 coast area.
Financed by the Global Environmental Fund (GEF), the project will bring far-reaching social and economic benefits, protecting the capacity of coastal ecosystems to produce food, maintain good water quality, and increasing their resilience to and recovery from degradation. It will also increase the wellbeing and opportunities for traditional local communities that directly depend on fishing activities for subsistence.
“The coastal zone is currently one of the most environmentally threatened regions in Brazil,” said Izabella Teixeira, Brazil’s Minister of Environment. “The creation of conservation areas is fundamental to protect the ocean’s biodiversity and to maintain fisheries activities that currently represent some 800,000 jobs in the Country.”
The Brazilian coastal zone hosts an immense variety of environments and wildlife, from the longest continuous stretches of mangrove ecosystems in the world, to the only coral reefs existing in South America. All of them are subjected to human and economic pressure.
Currently, only 1.57% of Brazil’s seaboard territory is under the Marine and Coastal Protection Areas Network (MCPA), instituted by the Federal Government in 2000. For the first time, an initiative will take place not only to expand the existing MCPA, but also to promote its long term financial sustainability by developing innovative financing mechanisms.
“The World Bank is already a partner of Brazil in the implementation of conservation areas in the Amazon Region, with very successful results,” said Deborah L. Wetzel, World Bank Director for Brazil. “We have no doubts that this new project will follow the same path, not only preserving this rich environment, but also providing new development opportunities for the local communities that depend on it.”
The main objectives of the project are the creation and consolidation of at least 120,000 km2 of new areas for biodiversity protection and the establishment of at least two financial mechanisms to support the long term sustainability of the Marine and Coastal Protection Area Network.
Source: en.mercopress.com
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
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