Ecuador Vows at COP26 to Create Marine Reserve for Galápagos Islands

Nov 2, 2021
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In a bid to guard the Galápagos Islands, a volcanic Pacific archipelago the place Charles Darwin noticed a blueprint for the origin of each species, Ecuador’s president stated on Tuesday that his nation would develop the marine reserve across the pure treasures.

“Right this moment is a day that can stay in historical past for us, Ecuador, Galápagos and the world,” President Guillermo Lasso stated on the local weather summit in Glasgow. “We aren’t solely preserving the way forward for our nation, however the complete humanity.”

The federal government has agreed with the fishery, tourism and conservation sectors to ascertain a brand new marine reserve of greater than 23,000 sq. miles within the Galápagos Islands.

Mr. Lasso stated it will be added to an current marine reserve of about 50,000 sq. miles.

As local weather change warms the world’s oceans, these islands are a crucible, and scientists are apprehensive. Not solely do the Galápagos sit on the intersection of three ocean currents, they’re additionally within the cross hairs of El Niño, a local weather phenomenon that may have wide-ranging results on climate world wide.

Analysis revealed in 2014 by greater than a dozen local weather scientists warned that rising ocean temperatures have been making El Niño each extra frequent and extra intense. And UNESCO, the United Nations instructional and cultural company, says that the Galápagos Islands are one of many locations most susceptible to the results of local weather change.

“This is not going to solely strengthen the world’s biodiversity, however it would additionally bolster our fight towards local weather change,” Mr. Lasso stated.

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