At a UN world conference in Lisbon, Emmanuel Macron announced his wish to protect all the seabed.
Peter Thomson, the United Nations special envoy for the oceans wanted to promote “a sustainable ocean” during the UN summit held in Lisbon from 27 June to 1is July. While there are still many issues to be resolved, particularly to combat illegal fishing and overfishing, the issue of ocean protection has in fact made some progress. Passing through on Thursday, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron notably asked “to develop a legal framework to put a stop to deep sea mining and not to authorize new activities that would endanger (marine) ecosystems”. He echoed a proposal made Wednesday by small island nations and oceanographer Sylvia Earle. The foundations of a legal agreement would be laid in mid-August, during negotiations on the high seas protection treaty in New York. About sixty countries would already be in favor of the creation of marine protected areas in these areas which are not regulated…