In a Paris COP21 speech, President Obama explained, "Some of their [Asia-Pacific] nations could disappear entirely, and as weather patterns change, we might deal with tens of millions of climate refugees in the Asia-Pacific region."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/6-quotes-that-perfectly-sum-up-why-obama-loves-hawaii_us_5683314ce4b014efe0d9902a …show more content…
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/59868a2032df47bc845c5cb842c261b2/hawaiian-leaders-seek-expansion-marine-conservation-area The Papahanaumokuakea region is sacred to indigenous Hawaiians for its role in traditional Hawaiian history, culture and cosmology.
As The Big Story http://bigstory.ap.org/article/59868a2032df47bc845c5cb842c261b2/hawaiian-leaders-seek-expansion-marine-conservation-area reports, Native Hawaiian leaders want President Obama to extend the monument's boundary to the entire 200 nautical-mile limit because: "While the current boundary of Papahanaumokuakea includes vital habitat for a number of species, it doesn't fully protect habitat and travel routes for several species including Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, sharks, whales, Black-footed and Laysan albatrosses as well as other …show more content…
Hope Spots for Our Blue Heart
And our planet desperately needs more protected marine areas. I first learned of the importance of protected marine areas from Dr. Sylvia Earle's http://www.care2.com/care2blog/dr-sylvia-earle-will-be-honored-with-the-care2-impact-award-at-the-2013-women-in-green-forum.html
TED Prize talk. In her speech, the brilliant oceanographer behind the Mission Blue documentary, helped me understand that life on earth wouldn't be possible without the ocean.
"No blue, no green," she says.
Dr. Earle's wish at the time (2009) was for all of us to support a global network of marine protected areas through "hope spots" -- "protected areas that are large enough to save and restore the ocean" (the blue heart of our planet) -- since only 1 percent of the global oceans were protected.
While some experts estimate that 10 percent needs to be protected and others argue that it's more like 30 percent, Dr. Earle brilliantly asks, "How much of your heart do you want to