Ten nations in the western Indian Ocean committed this November to create a network of marine conservation areas to hasten progress toward the goal of protecting 30% of the oceans by 2030.
Co-chaired by Palau and Norway, the Ocean Panel of 14 coastal nations has declared its commitment to 100% ocean sustainability by 2025 under the guise of a 'blue economy'.
The hope is that valuing whales in coastal nations can help protect whales from common fatalities like ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement, and deliberate hunting.
As nearly half of the U.S. populace lives in or near coastal areas, the GND needs to prioritize the sustainable use and preservation of the marine environment – called the "blue economy."
