By Janet Ekstract
UNITED NATIONS (TURKISH JOURNAL) – Climate change has forced the hand of nations to recognizer the very real importance of protecting international seas in the 21st century as countries grapple with the very serious and severe effects of sea pollution including plastics contamination, chemical waste, garbage and other toxic products in the world’s seas.
To that end, the Turkish Marine Foundation (TUDAV) co-organized with The Turkish Missions a special United Nations exhibition last week where viewers had an opportunity to see just how significant the seas are to a global ecosystem – specifically to coastal communities in Turkey.
TUDAV President, Bayram Ozturk explained that his goal with the exhibition is to generate major global interest in marine biodiversity: “to share knowledge about marine conservation and to find partners from other parts of the world to exchange information. As to how we can protect the entire ocean.”
Analysts and experts have demonstrated that overfishing, deeper industry and toxic pollutants have transformed the sea environment that puts marine life at risk.
The exhibition was of particular significance since it coincides with the intergovernmental conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Turkey is one of the co-leads of the UN Climate Summit Action Summit set to take place in September that will determine the future direction of global cities in relation to climate change.
Turkey along with a host of nations including Kenya, Germany, Singapore, Brazil, Canada and Mexico will be announcing initiatives in transport, local finance, buildings and resilience sectors to help achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
