With clean energy financing doubling that of fossil fuels in 2024, Simon Stiell calls it a "money-making opportunity" that is "too big to ignore". Meanwhile, only 12 nations have submitted new climate plans ahead of the 10 Feb deadline.
Scientists worldwide face growing safety risks from governments, corporations and even drug cartels, prompting urgent calls for high-level action to protect them.
The initiative is philanthropy-led and will extend beyond traditional Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to cover conservation of more existing ocean ecosystems. Less than 3 per cent of the region's national waters are under formal protection but a deadline to meet a global conservation target looms.