EU pledges $1bn to marine conservation
The European Union is set to pledge €1bn ($1.18bn) towards the protection of marine life. The announcement will be made during this year’s Our Ocean conference in Malta. The conference, which was launched in 2014 and which brings together policy makers and environmental experts in order to tackle issues including climate change and plastic pollution, has accumulated $10.2bn since its inception. 

EU leads the way with ambitious action for cleaner and safer seas

The international Our Ocean Conference, co-hosted by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, is currently taking place in Malta, on 5 and 6 October. This morning, High Representative Mogherini on behalf of the European Union, announced an ambitious package of 36 EU-initiatives to foster healthier, cleaner, safer and more secure seas.

In her opening speech, High Representative Mogherini said: "The sea is a global common. It is Our Ocean because it belongs to humanity, to each and every human being. We all have a responsibility to preserve what's common – to preserve it as a treasure and avoid that it turns into a threat." She added: "The European Union believes that a globalised world needs a more cooperative global governance. We believe in the power of diplomacy, we invest in it, we believe and invest in the power of common rules and international institutions. And it is difficult, actually impossible, to imagine a global governance without a cooperative oceans' governance." Amounting to over €550 million and launching complementary activities worldwide, the announcement underscores the EU's determination to improve the situation of the seas. At the same time, as hosts, the EU seeks from the outset of the conference to set an example and send a strong message of encouragement to the rest of the world to step up and take action in the face of growing ocean challenges such as plastic pollution, protection of marine life, impact of climate change and criminal activities at sea. Over the comings days, the international community – governments and private sector alike - will come together to deliver on this objective. A live stream of the Our Ocean Conference and the press conference (at 12:00 CET) are available here. High Representative Mogherini's speech and Commissioner Vella's speech are available online.

List of 36 EU commitments

Other language versions of the 36 commitments available here.