Maldives to Become World's Largest Marine Reserve

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• Publié par: ruder-finn
• Nombre de lectures: 22
• Langue: English

Extrait

Maldives to Become World's Largest Marine

Reserve

PR Newswire

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 20, 2012

RIO DE JANEIRO

,

June 20, 2012

/PRNewswire/ -- President Waheed has today

announced that the whole of the

Maldives

will become a marine reserve by

2017.

The commitment would see the

Maldives

become the first country in the world

to become a marine reserve.

Marine reserve status for all 1,192 islands is likely to attract international

investment in pilot schemes to explore new approaches to conservation and

sustainability.

A number of islands in the

Maldives

are Biosphere Reserves. In

July 2011

Baa

Atoll which consists of 75 islands, was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

and the Government is working to ensure it maintains this status. It is a model

that can be replicated throughout the rest of the

Maldives

.

President Waheed, who made the commitment while addressing the Rio +20

UN Conference on Sustainable Development, said, "I take this opportunity to

announce my Government's commitment to make the entire

Maldives

, by

2017, the first country in the world to become, as a nation as a whole, a marine

reserve."

The President went on to say, "This commitment reflects our respect for our

unique natural environment. We have taken these measures to protect our

coral reefs, lagoons, coral islands and coral sand beaches. The

Maldives

will

take any action necessary to ensure our future."

CONTACT

Masood Imad

Media Secretary

President's Office

Male, Maldive

Mobile: [phone]

Email :

[e-mail]

[e-mail]