Nice, France – 12 June 2025 | In a powerful and forward-thinking address at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), Prof. Ganesh Prakash Channa, President of the World Environment Council (WEC), India, called for a globally coordinated, community-driven approach to establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Speaking under the theme of Ocean Action Panel 8: Promoting and supporting all forms of cooperation, Prof. Channa emphasized the urgent need for regional and subregional collaboration to safeguard marine biodiversity.
Prof. Channa’s intervention proposed a comprehensive global network of MPAs that includes deep-sea ecosystems, coral reefs, and migratory corridors, governed through strict enforcement protocols and inclusive local partnerships. He stressed that MPAs must go beyond symbolic declarations and be equipped with real-time monitoring, AI-enabled surveillance, and equitable funding.
“Local communities must be more than stakeholders—they must be co-managers,” said Prof. Channa, urging the UN and governments to support co-designed MPA strategies that align with both conservation and sustainable use.
He also called for the establishment of a UN-backed Global MPA Fund, with special focus on vulnerable island states and coastal communities, ensuring that equity remains central to global marine governance.
The address was met with wide acknowledgment from international delegates, further positioning India’s role in shaping inclusive ocean policy. Prof. Channa concluded by stating, “Let us not just preserve what remains—let us restore what has been lost and revive what still can be saved.”
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