UNEP CHIEF: IMPROVE HEALTH OF OCEANS

Jakarta, May 11 (ANTARA) - UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Achim Steiner has called for the improvement of the health of oceans and seas, which are understood to be the biggest sink of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels.

"Ways of boosting the health of the oceans should be a key issue in Manado in recognition of the importance of our seas in buying humanity much needed breathing space with respect to climate change.

Indeed perhaps it should now be pay back time," Achim Steiner said in a press statement received by ANTARA here on Monday.

The UNEP Chief referred to the ongoing World Ocean Conference and the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit being held in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, from May 11-15.

Experts now estimate that up to 40 per cent of the C02 entering the atmosphere is being cycled through the marine environment which played a crucial role in moderating climate change, he said
He said governments must affirm their determination to `Seal the Deal' in Copenhagen at the UN climate convention meeting in order to begin steering the world onto a low carbon course.

"Secondly, we have to improve the health of our oceans," he said.

The oceans have to be as fit and resilient as possible, so that they can cope with the climate change burden-- so they can continue to provide food and the myriad of other economically-important services, according to Steiner.

"This means governments have to urgently address the multiple challenges weakening our seas, from land based pollution and discharges from ships up to overexploitation of the globe's vital fisheries, fueled in large part by perverse and wasteful subsidies totaling up to $35 billion a year," he said.

He said in the upcoming climate change conference in Copenhagen next December, there would be a good chance that part of the deal will include forest payments to tropical nations including Indonesia.

"The oceans play a vast role in countering climate change - they are our 'blue' forests" he said.

"Rewarding countries that sustainably manage them to boost their climate combating role and productivity would seem well worth exploring --Manado is an opportunity and the forum to float such ideas," he said.