Covering over 70 per cent of the planet the Ocean has a major role in everyday life. It produces at least 50 per cent of the planet’s oxygen, is home to most of earth’s biodiversity, and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people around the world. The ocean is also key to the world economy and an estimated 40 million people will work in ocean-based industries by 2030.
The Blue Belt Programme continues to assist British Overseas Territories in their work to protect their diverse marine ecosystems across the globe.
After an exciting year, in which the Programme has expanded into new geographies and created new sub-programmes, the programme is marking World Ocean Day 2022 in several ways.
Today the programme welcomes UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) and Blue Belt Programme partners to London, to showcase their recent work and future ambition.
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The Blue Belt welcomes the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) to the Programme today. These tropical islands become the first UKOT located within the Caribbean to join the full Blue Belt Programme.
In St Helena the new state of the art Blue Belt Programme funded Marine Centre will officially open at a public event in Jamestown today.
The Blue Belt Programme Annual Update 2021/22 is published today, highlighting key work from across the UKOTs and the Programme over the last 12 months.
Source: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
