A new initiative: Blue Nature Alliance aims to restore 7 million square miles of ocean in the next five years.

A school of Moorish Idols cruises over the reef, Ha'apai, Tonga. Photo: Glenn Edney/GRID-Arendal

by Valeska Oudhof

As CCN informed, 5% of the ocean area is what the Blue Nature Alliance aims to protect. With this ambitious goal, the Alliance contributes to the protection of marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Later this year, at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15 CBD), the 30X30 goal to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 is expected to be ratified. Recognizing the threats to the seas like climate change, pollution, and overfishing, the Blue Nature Alliance provides a significant contribution to the 30X30 goal.

Humpback whale mother and calf, Ha’apai Islands, Tonga. Photo: Glenn Edney/GRID-Arendal

Seven locations are targeted by the Alliance: ocean areas around Antarctica, Fiji, Canada, Seychelles, Palau, the Western Indian Ocean and Tristan da Cunha. In total, these areas make up about a third of the overall goal of 30% to be protected. The main focus will be to work with local communities and national leaders to establish new marine protected areas (MPAs). To make the MPAs effective, the Alliance chose regions primarily without large-scale commercial fishing, management- and monitoring plans, and local communities.

For example, in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, the aim is to keep out industrial fishing and preserving species that are key to the food chain, such as leopard seals, penguins and krill. Another example is the Fiji Lau Seascape, where the Alliance works together with the government to legally assign the area as protected and define limits on fishing and tourism.

Coastline, Vanuatu. Photo: Yannick Beaudoin, GRID-Arendal

This goal’s challenge is to ensure that the designated areas will indeed be fully protected and maintained. Technological advances are likely to be of help for the enforcement of the measures. For example, satellite technology has already made it easier to spot illegal fishing. Furthermore, the support of local communities helps to ensure the maintenance of protected areas.

The effort of the Blue Nature Alliance to contribute to conservation as a global partnership is “probably the largest single conservation effort in terms of size and speed”, according to the CEO of Conservation International, one of the leading organizations of the Alliance. It will be a considerable step forward as presently only 2.7% of the ocean are recognized as thoroughly protected. The Blue Nature Alliance aims to implement and maintain the designated zones.

Adelie penguins, Antarctic peninsular. Photo: Peter Prokosch/GRID-Arendal

Make a donation

We are grateful that you support the work and mission of LT&C! We accept donations through Credit Card, PayPal or international bank transfer:

Alternative 1: Donate through Credit Card:

Alternative 2: Donate through PayPal (amount in Euro):

Please click the Donate button and then choose your PayPal account

Alternative 3: Donate through international bank transfer

Bank details:
Cultura Sparebank
Pb. 6800, St. Olavs plass
N-0130 Oslo

Name: Linking Tourism & Conservation,
Account no.: 1254 05 95168
IBAN: NO8712540595168
BIC/SWIFT: CULTNOK1
Routing BIC: DNBANOKK

Please mark payments with your name and/or email address

Sign up now

Sign up for an LT&C membership by filling in the details below.

Add your LT&C-Example

Would you like your LT&C-Example/Initiative to be listed on our website? Please fill in the form below.

  • Would you like your LT&C example/initiative to be listed on our website? Please fill in the form below.
  • Please tell us about your LT&C example/initiative and how it fits with Linking Tourism & Conservation (LT&C)
  • Please elaborate on the following topics:
    a) Political/management support
    b) Financial support
    c) Educational support
  • Website with more information on the LT&C example/initiative
  • Please leave your contact details so that we can get in touch with you. This information will not be displayed on our website unless you ask us to.
  • By submitting this form you accept our current LT&C Privacy policy and that we may store and manage your contact information and that we may use the submitted material on our website.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.