A landmark international agreement to create the world’s largest marine park in the Southern Ocean has been brokered in Australia, after five years of compromises and failed negotiations. More than 1.5m sq km of the Ross Sea around Antarctica will be protected under the deal brokered between 24 countries and the European Union. “Today’s agreement is a turning point for the protection of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean,” said Chris Johnson, WWF-Australia’s ocean science manager. “WWF has concerns that the Ross Sea agreement does not meet this standard,” Johnson said. “And I’m positive that in 35 years, the conservation values that come out of the Ross Sea, the protections will be renewed.

Source: The Guardian October 27, 2016 23:56 UTC