21 April 2021.

Introduction:

The Blue Nature Alliance is a global partnership of five core partners and few other Non-Profit Organisations. The core partners are

1. Conservation International
   1.  The Global Environment Facility.
   1.  The Pew Charitable Trusts.
   1.  Minderoo Foundation.
   1.  Rob and Melani Walton Foundation.

The Blue Alliance was launched on April 20, 2021.

Highlights of the Alliance:

• The alliance aims to protect 5% of the world ocean in five years.
• The alliance aims to target seven ocean locations.
• They are as follows:

             1.Antarctica

             2.Seychelles

             3.Canada

             4.Palau

             5.Western Indian Ocean

            6.Fiji

            7.Tristan da Cunha, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean

Why do we need an alliance?

• The world is covered by more than 70% of oceans. Oceans are highly important for human survival as they regulate weather, rainfall and oxygen levels in the air. Currently they are under great threats from pollution, climate change and over fishing.
• According to the Marine Protection Atlas, more than 7% of the world oceans have been designated as “protected areas”. However, in reality only 2.7% are “fully protected”.

Marine Protection Atlas

• It was launched by the Marine Conservation Institute in 2012.
• The atlas was prepared to provide the best available information on marine protection all over the world.
• This will help the marine conservation communities to work together and protect at least 30% of the world ocean by 2030.
•  It has been built based on the World Database on Protected Areas.

World Database on Protected Areas

• It holds the database on terrestrial and marine protected areas.
• It was a joint project between IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme).