British entrepreneur Richard Branson handed over a petition with more than a million signatures to the UN on Thursday, urging governments to protect at least 30 percent of the world's oceans by 2030.

Speaking to reporters after the first Ocean Conference convened by the United Nations, Branson reiterated his criticism of US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, saying it didn't make sense.

"I think this is where the American President Donald Trump was so naive. Clean energy can be massively cheaper than dirty energy and everybody can benefit from it," he said.

"If we can manage our oceans properly and create marine reserves... within these reserves, fish can replenish."

The petition contained 1,021,874 names. Noting a goal to make the world carbon neutral "for our grandchildren" by 2050, Branson also drew attention to the erosion of Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

"The Great Barrier Reef is disappearing," he said. "It is related to the sea heating up and to lose one of the biggest wonders of the world is to cry for."

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First UN talks to save oceans kick off Monday
Miami (AFP) June 4, 2017
World leaders convene at UN headquarters next week for the first major bid to solve the toughest problems facing our oceans, from coral bleaching to plastic pollution, overfishing and rising seas due to climate change. The Ocean Conference in New York June 5-9 attempts to rally nations big and small to make meaningful changes to preserve what is arguably the Earth's most important resource, ... read more

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