Cortes chairs Overseas Territories’ Environment Ministers’ Council

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Dr John Cortes chaired the latest meeting of Council of the Environment Ministers and equivalents of the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies last week.

These meetings, held twice a year, serve to maintain contact and exchange information and experience between the territories.

The meeting included representatives from twelve of the territories, as well as officials from the UK Department for Environment, Rood and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and researchers from the Zoological Society of London.

Also participating were representatives of the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Form (UKOTCF), which provides the Secretariat for the Council, and of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA).

The meeting included discussion on the upcoming Climate Change Summit, COP28. There were presentations by different territories on the “30 by 30” initiative, a worldwide initiative for governments to designate 30% of Earth's land and sea area as protected areas by 2030.

There were also presentations on research into the problem of plastics in the oceans, one which greatly affects all of the territories which are entirely, or almost entirely surrounded by sea. Gibraltar will be involved in all of these initiatives, either by participating in research or sharing experience.