Emil Salim: MOD is political commitment to save oceans

            The Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD) expected to be issued at the end of the World Ocean Conference (WOC) is a political commitment among nations to promote oceans in international conventions, an expert said. "It`s a political commitment among nations that oceans must be included in international conventions on climate change," Emil Salim, a former Indonesian environmental affairs minister, said on the sidelines of the WOC Senior Official Meeting (SOM) here on Monday.

Following the political commitment to be reached in the WOC, ocean and sea protection would be emphasized through cooperation in the world`s Coral Triangle, he said. More specific science and technology in the Coral Triangle area were being developed by world oceanographers attending a symposium on on International Ocean Science, Technology and Industry, being held on the sidelines of the WOC, in Manado, he said.

There have been three international conventions on climate change, but they just discussed issues on land and soils but nothing on oceans and seas, he said. Oceans had been less discussed discussed their potential roles as a crabon sink, a food source and an energy source, he said. The WOC and Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit is being held in Manado, May 11-15, and attended by representatives from tens of countries.(ANTARA