Environmental Concerns Mount as Oceans Face ‘Alarming’ State
Ahead of the World Oceans Day on Sunday and the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, starting on Monday, a prominent climate researcher has sounded the alarm on the deplorable state of the world’s oceans. Mojib Latif, a renowned expert, told the Bayern media group that the oceans have been “long neglected” and only recently have their dire conditions been brought to the forefront. He expressed skepticism about achieving tangible results from the upcoming conference, citing the short-term irreversibility of ocean warming.
Latif lamented the lack of international cooperation, warning that the current circumstances are the “worst we have ever had for environmental protection.” He attributed this to the growing prominence of profit-driven interests, which he linked to the recent shift in global politics, including the rise of autocratic systems in the United States. “International cooperation is not exactly the top priority in global politics at the moment” he said.
On the issue of plastic waste in the oceans, Latif advocated for bans, stating that only a complete prohibition could effectively address the problem. However, he acknowledged the formidable lobby interests, including the oil industry, that stand in the way of such measures, as the raw material for plastic production is, in fact, oil.