Greenpeace eyes integrated response to saving PHL seas

Environment watchdog Greenpeace Southeast Asia targets helping integrate efforts on saving the Philippines’ marine environment.
Greenpeace ocean campaigner Vince Cinches raised urgency for implementing an integrated approach, noting existing fragmentation in such efforts is doing little to save the country’s marine waters.
”We’ll push for integration of such efforts,” he said.
He noted such bid will be among concerns for discussion during Greenpeace’s national conference on state of Philippine seas.
Cinches hopes the integration will push through, noting evidence of marine destruction is increasingly becoming evident.
“The country has less than 100 square kilometers of mangrove cover,” he said.
He noted available data show only about five percent of Philippine coral reefs are still in good condition.
“We’re also losing our seagrass beds,” he continued.
Marine conservation groups, representatives of fisherfolk communities, members of the academe and government agencies are expected to attend Greenpeace’s conference this week.
”Together, they’ll raise the alarm to defend our seas and seek solutions that will address policy reforms, strict enforcement of marine and fisheries laws as well as strengthen community-based coastal resource management,” Greenpeace said.
Greenpeace decided holding the conference to sound the alarm on continuing degradation of the country’s marine environment.
Pollution, climate change and over-fishing resulted in declining conditions in Philippine seas and such situation is threatening the country’s marine biodiversity and food security, Greenpeace noted.
”Our seas are in crisis,” Cinches said.
Greenpeace plans presenting the conference’s outputs to Philippine decision-makers so they can be better guided in coming up with directives for protecting marine waters nationwide, he noted.
Earlier, Greenpeace announced plans to launch in the Philippines this year its campaign to save the marine environment.
Cinches warned the country’s marine waters are increasingly reeling from environmental degradation, pollution, unsustainable fisheries and other threats.
“Climate change is compounding the problem,” he added. (PNA)