:On behalf of the “Group of 77” (developing countries) and China, Pakistan called on wealthy countries to take the lead in resolving the challenges confronting the world’s oceans, seas, and marine resources on Wednesday.
“We are facing a worldwide ocean emergency,” said Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, addressing the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.
“Sea levels are rising, coastal erosion is deteriorating, marine pollution is increasing, marine biodiversity is quickly diminishing, and the Ocean is warming and becoming more acidic,” he said at the conference, which was co-hosted by Portugal and Kenya.
G-77/China, which now has 134 members and is the United Nations‘ largest intergovernmental group of emerging countries, is currently chaired by Pakistan.