Environmental association ZERO has warned the government of the urgent need to increase the network of Marine Protected Areas, pointing out that only a tiny part of what was agreed has been defined – and that this protection “still only exists on paper”. On the eve of National Maritime Day (tomorrow), volunteers from ZERO – Sustainable Earth System Association held a symbolic action in front of the secretary of state for the sea, in Lisbon, to draw attention to the importance of fulfilling the international promise to protect 30% of maritime space by 2030. “We’re lagging behind,” said Joana Soares, ZERO’s Oceans project manager, pointing out that, excluding the Azores, only “around 4.5% of the national maritime space is protected”.
