Opinion: Pacific nations lead sea-change in ocean conservation

By Gregory Stone, Special to CNN

Updated 0440 GMT (1240 HKT) September 3, 2012

16 tiny island nations in the Pacific Ocean met last week to discuss protecting 10% of the world's seas.
Photos: Protecting the Pacific Ocean
Protecting the oceans – 16 tiny island nations in the Pacific Ocean met last week to discuss protecting 10% of the world's seas.
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A lagoon viewed from a mountain top in New Caledonia. The Pacific island state announced last month that it will creat a 1.4 million kilometer marine conservation zone. The Cook Islands have created a marine park the size of Egypt.
Photos: Protecting the Pacific Ocean
Protecting ocean paradise – A lagoon viewed from a mountain top in New Caledonia. The Pacific island state announced last month that it will creat a 1.4 million kilometer marine conservation zone. The Cook Islands have created a marine park the size of Egypt.
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The newly created marine protected area encompasses New Caledonia's 1.5 million hectare UNESCO World Heritage site.
Photos: Protecting the Pacific Ocean
Blue heritage – The newly created marine protected area encompasses New Caledonia's 1.5 million hectare UNESCO World Heritage site.
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The Pacific Oceanscape is an ambitious intitiative to preserve and sustainably manage an area covering 10% of the world's oceans.
Photos: Protecting the Pacific Ocean
Fiji's coral reefs – The Pacific Oceanscape is an ambitious intitiative to preserve and sustainably manage an area covering 10% of the world's oceans.
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The Pacific Oceanscape was set up in 2009 at the Pacific Island Forum in 2009 attended by 15 Pacific region governments.
Photos: Protecting the Pacific Ocean
Papua New Guinea – The Pacific Oceanscape was set up in 2009 at the Pacific Island Forum in 2009 attended by 15 Pacific region governments.
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Rising sea levels threaten the very existence of the tiny island nation, located halfway between Australia and Hawaii. In 2006 Kiribati's president Anote Tong created a no-fishing, protected area the size of California.
Photos: Protecting the Pacific Ocean
Kiribati on the frontline – Rising sea levels threaten the very existence of the tiny island nation, located halfway between Australia and Hawaii. In 2006 Kiribati's president Anote Tong created a no-fishing, protected area the size of California.
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Coral reefs across the Pacific region are under threat from warming oceans, acidification and the aquarium trade. A Worldfish Center inititative in the Solomon Islands uses local techniques to farm coral for the international trade.
Photos: Protecting the Pacific Ocean
Saving coral reefs – Coral reefs across the Pacific region are under threat from warming oceans, acidification and the aquarium trade. A Worldfish Center inititative in the Solomon Islands uses local techniques to farm coral for the international trade.
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August 2012: The Pacific Islands Forum in the Cook Islands was attended by member countries discussing themes of sustainable economic development and conservation.
Photos: Protecting the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Oceanscape – August 2012: The Pacific Islands Forum in the Cook Islands was attended by member countries discussing themes of sustainable economic development and conservation.
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