Pakistan calls for bold ‘global action' to protect oceans

Ambassador of Pakistan to France Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Wednesday highlighted the country’s efforts to address challenges of degradation of marine resources and ecosystem, saying Pakistan calls for ambitious global action to protect oceans for future generations.

While addressing the Third United Nations Ocean Conference held in France, the ambassador mentioned Pakistan efforts to address the challenge of degradation of marine resources and ecosystems.

Furthermore, she emphasised the importance of international collaboration, saying “underlining that isolated national efforts alone would not suffice to conserve and sustainably use the marine and coastal resources.”

Ambassador Baloch 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 [Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction].

Moreover, 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.

While calling for upholding international law and treaty obligations, she urged the global community to condemn these attempts to weaponise water.