Editorial: La Vanguardia

• Barcelona is hosting the 2024 Decade of the Oceans Conference aiming to define key action areas to protect the seas.
• The conference also aims to turn research into innovation to address the climate crisis and other global challenges.
• The city will host 150 parallel activities to demonstrate its citizens' global commitment to defending the oceans.
• The UN launched the Decade of the Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development, whose first and major conference takes place in Barcelona.
• The Global Ocean Treaty, which commits to protecting at least 30% of international waters by 2030, was an important step.
• Issues such as the expansion of dead seas due to fertilizer runoff and plastics proliferation will be analyzed.
• Topics like greenhouse gas emissions reduction, overfishing, and coastal areas protection will also be addressed.

Conclusion: The conference underscores the need for a cultural shift to protect the oceans since their problems are the result of human activity.

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