£75m from UK to safeguard oceans

NEARLY £75 million will be invested in schemes to protect the world's oceans, the Government has said.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey made the announcement at the Our Ocean conference in Panama this week, where heads of state and the private sector discussed ways to protect the marine environment.

Ms Coffey said £45 million will go towards a new "Blue Tech Superhighway" project, which aims to build collaboration between communities in Africa and Asia who would develop and share technologies to help fisheries become more climate resilient and less damaging to the oceans.

The UK will also contribute £24 million to the Global Fund for Coral Reefs and has become the first donor to the Blue Carbon Action Partnership, by offering £4 million.