Russia blocks NZs plans of Massive Marine Reserves off Antarctica

[JennyLeez]

You may or may not have seen this on the News the other night. It was supposedly all go but Russia has put a spanner in the works.
Here is the results in Brief from their last global meeting:

'A New Zealand-led plan to create the largest marine reserve in the world in Antarctica has been blocked by Russia.'

'New Zealand conservationists and Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully say it is disappointing and frustrating that Russia has stalled plans for two massive Antarctic marine reserves.
The 25-member country Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, which regulates the seas around the continent, concluded a meeting in Germany with no resolution on the reserves.

Russia's delegation blocked both proposals after earlier questioning the commission's mandate to establish them.

New Zealand and the United States are proposing a Ross Sea reserve area of 2.6 million square kilometres and Australia, France and the European Union want marine protected areas in East Antarctica covering about 1.63m sq km.

If approved, they would be the biggest marine reserves in the world.

The Antarctic Ocean Alliance, which comprises high-profile scientists and environmental groups, including Greenpeace and New Zealand's Forest and Bird, is outraged by Russia's actions.
Its New Zealand coordinator Geoff Keey told NZ Newswire from Germany that Russia had been the country to call the extraordinary meeting and then it didn't play ball.
It was very frustrating because almost every other country was willing to come to agreement in Bremerhaven, he said.
"I can imagine a lot of people here are extremely annoyed."

He described Russia's argument as "nonsense" and a tactical move.
However, there is hope the reserves can be agreed upon at another meeting in Hobart in October.
Mr Keey said Hobart would be a longer meeting, allowing the countries more time to thrash out their differences.
Mr McCully said getting consensus would have been a big challenge, but Russia's effective veto was still deeply disappointing.

It was clear that the vast majority of commission members had been flexible and constructive in seeking consensus.
"International pressure for responsible leadership will intensify and New Zealand has every intention of playing its full part in ultimately achieving the right outcome," Mr McCully said.
Last year, an effort to create the reserves failed because Russia, China and the Ukraine weren't willing to back it. This year Russia.'

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[gabba]

If you are interested in understanding why this is so important then you should try and dig up a copy of "The Last Ocean" and watch it. it was on TV a few months ago, so some may ahve already seen it.

You can also find out a bit more about the cause here:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/thelastocean?hc_location=stream

I'm no bleeding environmentalist but wasting time having a debate over this sort of thing is pointless. Watch the film and you will understand