It’s time to make these targets binding, say NGOs
Portugal is one of the European Union (EU) Member States failing to meet non-binding marine protection targets – with only 5% of its waters designated as Marine Protected Areas (when the goal is 30%), two environmental NGOs have warned today.
Seas at Risk and Oceana have analysed seven Member States – Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden – and found only four have submitted their commitments to the European Commission regarding marine protection targets.
An assessment of these commitments shows that, in addition to the delay in identifying Marine Protected Areas, Portugal and Ireland have also not provided any information on whether new areas will be added or on more strictly protected marine territories, which should reach 10% by 2030.
Of the States assessed, Germany, Denmark, Spain and Sweden have already submitted national proposals for commitments, but only Copenhagen and Stockholm have made them public.
Germany and the Netherlands have already reached the target of 30% of marine areas classified as protected, despite not having sent their plans to the EU executive.
The two NGOs are thus calling on the European Commission to make these targets binding in the next parliamentary term as well as urging Member States to “strengthen the political will to comply with these environmental standards”.
LUSA
