Introduction and Overview

  • The 'Revive Our Ocean' Initiative has been launched by an international NGO called Dynamic Planet. The primary goal of this initiative is to augment marine conservation efforts.
  • This is accomplished by empowering local communities to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and drive sustainable economic development via fishing and tourism.

 

Current Context

  • The initiative aligns with the 30X30 target as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The objective of this framework is to protect 30% of the oceans by the year 2030.
  • Initially, the initiative will prioritise seven countries - the UK, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Mexico. In these countries, local communities will receive support to effectively create and manage MPAs.
  • The initiative emphasises the economic potential of MPAs, providing examples like Medes Island in Spain. In this zone, where fishing is forbidden, tourism generates 16 million USD annually.
  • The initiative also lines up with the upcoming 2023 High Seas Treaty. This treaty is required to be ratified by 60 countries before it can be implemented; India has already signed the treaty.

 

General Knowledge about Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

  • MPAs are areas that are set up for the purpose of conserving marine resources. In these areas, certain activities are restricted to protect ecosystems, habitats, or fisheries.
  • Despite these restrictions, some activities, like fishing and research, might still occur in multi-purpose MPAs.
  • Over 16,000 MPAs are already in place around the globe, covering 8% of the world's oceans. However, the Protected Planet Report of 2024 states that only 3% of these MPAs are fully protected.
  • Many MPAs face challenges with poor management, and some even permit destructive practices like bottom trawling, which threatens their ecological health.