Department Of Environment Attend Blue Belt Programme Symposium
Environment Officer Clive Crisp participated earlier this month in the Blue Belt Programme Symposium held in London.
A statement from the Government follows below:
The Blue Belt programme is the UK Government’s flagship international marine conservation programme. It works closely with UK Overseas Territories to assist them in creating and maintaining healthy and productive marine ecosystems.
The UK Overseas Territories are home around 90% of the UK’s biodiversity, and host a huge range of unique and endangered species, some of which are found no-where else on earth.
This flagship programme has been central to the UK Government’s ambition of leading action to tackle the serious global problems of overfishing, species extinction and climate change.
The symposium, which began on Monday, was opened by UK Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, the Rt Hon Lord Benyon, in which he reiterated the importance of understanding and protecting our oceans. Lord Benyon also had a message from the King which he read to the delegates, in what he described as a first for him and an honour and a privilege.
Delegates and Overseas Territories representatives have been sharing their experiences, challenges and innovation techniques in the participation of the Blue Belt. The Blue Belt aims to assist the UK Overseas Territories in protecting and enhancing ocean health to halt biodiversity loss, enable sustainable growth, ensure climate change resilience, and to connect people with the natural environment.
Between 2022 – 2025, the Programme is funded directly by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s International Programme Fund.
