On World Ocean Day (8th June 2021), countries from all four corners of the world – from India to Guyana, South Korea to Austria have pledged to support the ‘30 by 30’ commitment which is being championed by the UK-led Global Ocean Alliance and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, co-chaired by the UK, Costa Rica and France.

This next milestone follows a successful meeting of the G7 Climate and Environment ministers, during which all members agreed to champion the global ‘30×30’ target to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the world’s land and at least 30 percent of the world’s ocean by 2030, as well as committing to ‘30 x 30’ domestically.

Members of the Global Ocean Alliance and/or the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People

• The 80 countries now supporting the 30by30 target in the ocean are: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia , Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Uganda, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Belize, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Mongolia, Jordan, Pakistan, UAE, Australia, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Palau, Vanuatu, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Maldives, India, Japan, South Korea, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, EC, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania , Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Cape Verdean painter Leomar, intends to hold an exhibition of painting called “Lapis Lazulis”, on 8 June, in honor of World Ocean Day. This tribute aims to make governments, populations and other entities aware of the urgency of creating measures that protect the ocean from activities that endanger marine lives and the environmental balance of nature. Considering that the ocean occupies 2/3 of the terrestrial surface and is the main thermal regulator of the planet, we must protect and preserve the ocean to guarantee the subsistence of billions of people worldwide.