Ministers and officials from more than 70 countries on Thursday called for oceans to be discussed at the next global climate change talks which aim to draw up a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. The call comes from the World Ocean conference, meeting in Manado, Indonesia.

The Manado Ocean Declaration calls for cuts to ocean pollution, funding for sustainable development in poor countries, more research into how climate change affects the seas and the role oceans play in fighting climate change.

But it is non-binding and contains no specific commitments for funding or emissions targets, leading some scientists to claim that it is too weak to combat sea rises and the likely destruction of key species.