COMMUNITIES AROUND WORLD GIVEN £14 M IN UK FUNDING TO PROTECT OCEANS

LONDON, Jan 26 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) -- Communities in countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines and Ecuador will receive a share of £14 million (US$19 million) in United Kingdom (UK) funding for ocean conservation, said the government, reported PA Media/dpa.

The money will support at least eight projects in areas facing some of the worst effects of climate change, as well as declining ocean health.

Among them is a project in Ecuador to install green LED lighting in fishing nets, which can be seen by turtles, sharks, rays and whales, preventing their bycatch.

Another initiative will support the company Eco Kolek to expand its inclusive waste recovery system to reach 12,000 households and small businesses across Puerto Princesa City and the neighbouring island communities in the Philippines.

The Resiko Machine Shop will use the funding to roll out community-led, solar-powered recycling hubs, again in the Philippines, which will turn marine and household plastic waste into products for local use and sale.

And in Bangladesh, Badabon Sangho will receive money for its women-led fishing groups and cooperatives, who will work to restore habitats, promote sustainable fishing practices and boost marine conservation.

It is estimated that this will help to divert an estimated 1,100 tonnes of plastic away from landfill and the marine environment.

Nature minister Mary Creagh said: “We’re leading efforts to put local people across the world at the heart of solutions to conserve the ocean they depend on for food, income and protection from extreme weather.

“These pioneering community-led projects will support the families hit hardest by climate change with lasting change, while helping to protect our global ocean for future generations.”

It is part of the second round of funding in the Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature Grants Programme (Ocean), to support the UK’s efforts to tackle climate change and global poverty.

The first round has already helped to protect and restore more than 93,000 hectares of key ecosystems – about the size of 130,000 football pitches, according to ministers.

Jeremy Huet, conservation programme manager at Zoological Society of London, which was among the recipients of funding in the first round, said: “Last year we rang the alarm bells for coral reefs globally, so as we begin our second year with Ocean working alongside communities in Mozambique, we’re delighted to see more investment into the ocean that we all rely on and the people at the frontline of protecting it.

“Community-led projects are at the heart of building a better future for people and nature, and every step we take to restore our ocean’s health matters.”

--BERNAMA-PA Media/dpa