NEWS
Blue Nature Alliance in the News
Panama Achieves 50% Ocean Protection with Newly Expanded Banco Volcán Marine Protected Area
PR Newswire — March 2, 2023
During the opening ceremony of the 2023 Our Ocean Conference, Laurentino Cortizo, President of Panama, and Milciades Concepción, Minister of Environment, signed the decree to substantially expand the limits of the Banco Volcán Area of Managed Resources to further protect and steward important marine ecosystems, endangered flora and fauna, and important fishing resources found within Panama's territorial waters in the Caribbean Sea.
“We Cannot Fail” Niue Leader Calls For Ambitious Targets At Global Biodiversity Negotiations
SPREP — December 15, 2022
Showing global leadership and a strong commitment to the preservation of biodiversity, the Premier of Niue announced the bold steps the island is taking to deliver on its key role as custodians and guardians of our environment and natural resources. View the full statement here.
Seascapes and Community-driven Solutions
4Nature Podcast — July 25, 2022
In episode eight of the 4Nature podcast series, Laure Katz, Co-Lead of the Blue Nature Alliance, connects with host David Meyers to discuss her crucial work to help design and fund community-driven, community-led marine protected areas at the scale of a seascape.
EarthX TV — November 1, 2021
Corals and Marine Protected Areas — What are marine protected areas and how can they help protect our coral reefs? Where are they working and what makes them effective?
Can data science turn ocean conservation dreams into reality?
Mckinsey & Company — September 23, 2021
The Blue Nature Alliance has set an ambitious target of protecting five percent of the world’s ocean, a massive undertaking considering the ocean covers 71 percent of the planet. These efforts are part of a larger global movement inspired by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to protect more of the world’s surface area from environmental threats and to keep the ecosystems humans depend on intact. Known as the 30x30 commitment, the pledge calls on leaders from nations across the world to commit to protecting 30 percent of land and 30 percent of the ocean under their governance by 2030.
“Water Is Life.” In a Time of Crisis, Ocean and Freshwater Fundraisers Emphasize Interdependence
Inside Philanthropy — September 10, 2021
Oceans have a similar [funding] gap, though the disparity there is between Global North and Global South. “The vast majority of ocean philanthropy is going to either North America or global initiatives focused in the northern hemisphere,” [Laure] Katz said. “The Pacific Ocean is larger than all land masses on the planet on its own, and it’s receiving less than 1% of ocean philanthropy.” This discrepancy appears in funding sources, too.
Indigenous-led Marine Conservation Should be the Future of Our Movement
Green 2.0 — September 7, 2021
“Indigenous peoples have had limited input into the development of many global conservation initiatives, even those in our own backyard. The exclusion—intentional or not—of Indigenous peoples’ voices and visions, knowledge systems, and cultural perspectives from conservation has kept our movement from reaching its full potential of ideas, knowledge, and action. But although it’s urgent to make substantial changes to the practice of conservation, it’s not too late.”
SUFB 1207: Regional Approaches to Ocean Conservation
Speak Up For Blue Podcast — September 7, 2021
In collaboration with the Speak Up For Blue podcast, Blue Nature Alliance partners and staff discuss the meaning of conservation success, working with communities to achieve global goals for the ocean and the future of ocean conservation in the next decade. Featuring: Laure Katz and Joaquín Labougle, Blue Nature Alliance; Angelique Pouponneau, Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT), and Dr. Arthur Tuda, Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).
EarthX TV — September 6, 2021
The series premiere of Our Living Oceans, the journey begins on the 5-year Global Reef Expedition to assess the health and resiliency of coral reefs. Starring: Liz Thompson, Prince Khaled bin Sultan, Dr. Sam Purkis, Dr. Sylvia Earle, and Angelo Villagomez.
Our Living Oceans is an EarthxTV Original Series - Discover the hidden life within our living oceans. Host: Erika Bergman – deep-sea submersible pilot and 2013 National Geographic Young Explorer.
SUFB 1206: The importance of People, Knowledge, and Networks in Ocean Conservation
Speak Up For Blue Podcast — September 5, 2021
In collaboration with the Speak Up For Blue podcast, Blue Nature Alliance partners and staff discuss the meaning of conservation success, working with communities to achieve global goals for the ocean and the future of ocean conservation in the next decade. Featuring: Kate Brown, Global Island Partnership, Coral Pasisi, Tofia Niue, and Ginny Farmer, Blue Nature Alliance.
SUFB 1205: Social equity in and through marine conservation
Speak Up For Blue Podcast — September 3, 2021
In collaboration with the Speak Up For Blue podcast, Blue Nature Alliance partners and staff discuss the findings of their new peer-reviewed paper, "Advancing Social Equity In and Through Marine Conservation." Featuring: Dr. Ana Spalding, Oregon State University, Dr. Asha de Vos, founder, Oceanswell, and Maël Imirizaldu, Blue Nature Alliance.
The Nature Conservancy Magazine — August 27, 2021
Less than a 10th of the ocean is protected. In a study, a team of scientists calls for a global effort to do more.
OCEAN INITIATIVES TO HELP
One new initiative that could help is the Blue Nature Alliance, a consortium of funding groups that includes The Pew Charitable Trusts, where Angelo O’Connor Villagomez works as a senior officer of marine protection. “We think Blue Nature Alliance can contribute about 5% to the overall goal of protecting 30% of the ocean,” he says. “Half of our effort will go toward creating new areas and half toward improving the management of existing areas.”
A bright future for marine protected areas
WIOMSA Magazine — August 18, 2021
The western Indian Ocean (WIO) boasts 143 marine protected areas and community-managed marine areas that cover around 7 percent of the region’s total exclusive economic zone. Over the past decade, there has been a great push to improve ocean conservation, with 63 percent of the area under protection gained in the last seven years. Although it hasn’t been a flawless process, it has been a major victory for conservation.
Friends of the Mariana Trench celebrate public participation in management plan
Marianas Variety News — August 16, 2021
The Friends of the Mariana Trench thank the community for engaging in the recent public commenting process for the draft management plan for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.
Ocean Protection Gets Financial, Technical & Management Talent
Environment News Service — August 9, 2021
A new ocean conservation initiative is gathering force to protect 18 million square kilometers (seven million square miles) of the ocean over the next five years – an area twice the size of the continental United States and larger than the continent of South America.
Panamá, pionero en océanos saludables
La Estrella — July 7, 2021
En junio Panamá se posicionó como Nuevo Líder Mundial Azul, distinción que se da a los países que logran alcanzar la iniciativa mundial 30x30, que busca proteger las áreas marinas antes del año 2030.
Blue Nature Alliance and the Quest to Protect 7 Million Square Miles of the Ocean
Ocean Science Radio — June 24, 2021
We speak with Angelo O'Connor Villagomez - senior officer of Marine Protection at The Pew Charitable Trusts, Laure Katz - Senior Director of Blue Nature at Conservation International, Ashland and Philippe Cousteau of Antarctic 2020, and Susana Waqainabete-Tuisese - senior director Pacific region at Conservation International. The conversation covers the need for real marine protected areas, why the Antarctic needs to be protected, and the importance of Indigenous knowledge and collaboration in conservation. Be sure to check out the hashtag #CallOnCCAMLR Listen to Angelo O'Connor Villagomez on our sister program, Marine Conservation Happy Hour.
Panamá, el segundo país de Latinoamérica en tener el 30% de áreas marinas protegidas
Metro Libre — June 6, 2021
“Aplaudimos el liderazgo de Panamá y su audaz acción de expandir las protecciones marinas en la Cordillera de Coiba, punto de conexión clave del Pacífico Este Tropical para muchos peces y mamíferos migratorios, último refugio para varios animales amenazados y hogar de una variedad excepcional de especies que no se encuentran en ningún otro lugar de la tierra. Blue Nature Alliance y SkyLight se están asociando con el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, MigraMar y WildAid Marine, y se comprometen a trabajar en coordinación con Global Fishing Watch, para apoyar el monitoreo, la gestión y la implementación efectiva del área protegida”, resalta Joaquín Quinto Labougle, oficial regional de programas para América Latina y el Caribe de Blue Nature Alliance.
MCHH 289: Protecting The Ocean With The Blue Nature Alliance
Marine Conservation Happy Hour — June 1, 2021
Angelo Villagomez is back on the podcast to tell the Marine Conservation Happy Hour Crew about how the Blue Nature Alliance wants to help local communities protect the Ocean.
MCHH 288: Protecting 30% of the Ocean By 2030
Marine Conservation Happy Hour — May 27, 2021
The MCHH Crew welcomes Angelo Villagomez back on the podcast to discuss why it is important to protect 30% of the Ocean by 2030.
‘Ocean in crisis’: Global plan to protect world’s seas
Al Jazeera — April 21, 2021
Ambitious initiative to protect area larger than South American continent aims to ensure the world’s seas will no longer be ‘out of sight, out of mind’.
MarketWatch — April 21, 2021
Blue Nature Alliance aims to conserve area twice the size of U.S. in just 5 years.
Blue Nature Alliance aims to restore 7 million square miles of ocean in five years
CNN — April 20, 2021
The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet, a total of 139 million square miles. An initiative launched on Tuesday aims to protect 5% of it in the next five years.
Blue Nature Alliance aims to protect 5% of the world's ocean in five years
CNN — April 20, 2021
An ambitious plan to restore a combined ocean area the size of South America has been announced.
Tide turning as Indigenous groups help steer global effort to save oceans
rfi — April 20, 2021
A global push to conserve vast swathes of ocean – 18 million square kilometres – over the next five years was launched Tuesday, as the world seeks a landmark deal to protect a third of its oceans by the end of the decade.
Pour protéger les océans, « la plus grande initiative en cours » est lancée par Blue Alliance Nature
Ouest France — April 20, 2021
Dix-huit millions de kilomètres carrés, c’est 5 % de la surface totale des océans (et presque deux fois celle de l’Europe). Pour la Blue Nature Alliance, c’est l’objectif d’une nouvelle initiative de conservation de l’océan lancée mardi 20 avril 2021.
Dream Team of Conservationists Plan to Protect 7 Million Square Miles of Ocean
Global Citizen — April 20, 2021
The newly launched Blue Nature Alliance aims to protect 7 million square miles of ocean over the next five years, the global partnership announced Tuesday, a monumental undertaking that will accelerate global conservation goals.
The ocean finally gets its climate solutions moment
AXIOS — April 20, 2021
A growing alliance of policy makers, activists, and conservationists are looking to the ocean for climate solutions, from setting aside vast stretches of open water to protecting coastal marshes and mangrove forests.
Earth Week Interview With Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, the CEO of the Global Environment Facility
Our Daily Planet — April 20, 2021
It’s Earth Week and we caught up with Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, who became the CEO of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) last year, to talk about his plans for the GEF and a new partnership launching today.
A New Partnership Aims to Protect Our Fragile Oceans—Here’s How Travelers Can Help
AFAR — April 20, 2021
Conservation International and Pew Charitable Trusts are teaming up to protect 7 million square miles of ocean. There are many ways travelers can join the effort to preserve oceans as well.