Projects to tackle climate change and protect the world’s oceans have been given a major boost with the first £16.2 million of funding from the UK’s £500 million Blue Planet Fund. In Bangladesh, the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) will support aquatic food production and trade, said the British High Commission in Dhaka. It put in place the systems and ability to reduce the harmful impacts of aquatic food production, control common diseases of fish and seafood, and increase production.  Read:UK becomes Dialogue Partner of ASEAN This in turn will also support progress towards several UN Sustainable Development Goals on poverty alleviation, zero hunger and good health and well-being, said the High Commission. The new programme builds on an existing strong cooperation between the UK’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, WorldFish, and the Bangladesh Government’s Department of Fisheries. The programmes, financed from the UK’s overseas aid budget, will increase marine protection, tackle plastic pollution and the decline of global coral reefs, as well as using the UK’s world-leading expertise to help respond to marine pollution disasters such as the Xpress Pearl in Sri Lanka. The ocean is a critical carbon sink which every year absorbs almost a third of global CO2 emissions. Read:12 erstwhile UK-based expats recognised as Freedom Fighters Around the globe, the ocean supports the livelihoods of one in every ten people, including some of the poorest and most vulnerable. In the run up to the UK hosting the COP26 climate talks in November, the government is working with developing countries to take action to protect and restore our oceans. The projects receiving funding include the launch of a new UK-led programme which will help developing countries partner with the UK’s world-leading scientists to better manage marine protected areas, and improve our understanding of the impacts of climate change and contaminants in the ocean. The Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) already has work underway with UK scientists at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) providing analysis of water samples from Sri Lanka to contribute to the ongoing response to the Xpress Pearl environmental disaster in June. Read: Dhaka conveys protests to UK over human rights report British Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said the UK is a global leader in marine protection and will continue to advocate for ambitious climate and ocean action at COP26 this year. “Our shared ocean is a vital resource and provides habitat to precious marine life, as well as supporting the livelihoods of one in every ten people worldwide. “The Blue Planet Fund will support many developing countries on the front line of climate change to reduce poverty and improve the health of their seas.”