Statement of Todd Steiner, founder of Turtle Island Restoration Network and Mission Blue’s Hope Spot Champion for Cocos-Galapagos Swimway from United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France:
We are disappointed that Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves failed to announce strict protection for the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway today at his speech at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, one of the world’s most important biological hotspots which is under Costa Rica’s jurisdiction.
President Rodrigo Chaves said nations must act today, not later, it is the only moral thing to do, yet his words ring hollow when he continues to fail to protect the most important part of the Ocean under its jurisdiction that connects Galapagos Islands with Costa Rica’s Cocos Island, two United Nations Biosphere Reserves.
While Ecuador moved to protect its part of the Swimway in 2022, Costa Rica has not lived up to its moral obligation to reciprocate…
Photo of Steiner and Randal Arauz (fellow Hope Spot champion, scientist, founded TIRN’s sister organization in Costa Rica PRETOMA and later CREMA, co-founder of MigraMar).
