What Anja spoke about.

Mr President, Commissioner and Minister, Antarctica and the Southern Ocean were the last unspoilt natural areas on earth, the last wildernesses. Where, because their numerous and unique ecosystems are under pressure from climate change, pollution, overfishing, ocean acidification and harmful tourism. And why do we let this happen? Time is running out to take action to provide this area with the protection it so urgently needs. How can we protect Antarctica from further decline and give biodiversity a chance to recover? This can only be done by truly protecting its new and existing nature reserves. This means that there is no place for fishing, whaling, deep-sea mining, oil and gas extraction, and certainly not for large cruise ships and uncontrolled tourism. Penguins, sea lions and orcas must be able to live undisturbed and the protected areas must be ecologically linked to clear conservation plans to save these unique ecosystems. Only with strict protection of the Antarctic will we ensure the health of our oceans, its function as a carbon sink, and increase the resilience of these marine ecosystems to the effects of climate change. I also believe that European agricultural and fisheries subsidies should be abolished.