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The United Nations: The world’s first international treaty to protect the high seas was adopted Monday at the United Nations, a landmark environmental agreement aimed at protecting remote ecosystems vital to humanity.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the treaty, which will establish a legal framework for extending environmental protection to international waters, which make up more than 60 percent of the world’s oceans, as a “historic achievement”.
After more than 15 years of discussions, including four years of formal negotiations, UN member states finally agreed to the text of the treaty in March after a flurry of marathon final talks.
The text has since been frozen, and has been checked by UN lawyers and translators for compliance with the organization’s six official languages.
“Healthy oceans, from coastal waters to remote high seas and deep seabed regions, are integral to human health, well-being, and survival,” noted a group of scientists in The Lancet Journal.
Scientists are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the oceans, which produce most of the oxygen we breathe, limit climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, and host rich areas of biodiversity, often at the microscopic level.
But with so much of the world’s oceans outside individual countries’ exclusive economic zones, and thus the jurisdiction of any single country, providing protection for the so-called “high seas” requires international cooperation.
Marine reserves
The result is that it has long been ignored in many ecological battles, with coastal regions highlighted and a few emblematic species.
The main instrument of the treaty will be the ability to establish marine protected areas in international waters.
Currently, only about one percent of the high seas is protected by any kind of conservation measure.
The treaty is seen as crucial for countries protecting 30 percent of the world’s oceans and land by 2030, as agreed by the world’s governments in a separate landmark agreement reached in Montreal in December.
After adoption, he said, “the race to legalization will begin” and the 30 percent target will still be “within reach.” Chris Thorne Greenpeace.
The treaty, formally known as the Treaty on Extranational Biological Diversity or BBNJ, also introduces requirements for conducting environmental impact studies for proposed activities to be carried out in international waters.
These activities, while not included in the text, would include anything from fishing and marine transportation to more controversial activities, such as deep sea mining or even geoengineering programs aimed at combating global warming.
The treaty also sets principles for sharing the benefits of “marine genetic resources” (MGR) collected through scientific research in international waters — a sticking point that nearly derailed last-minute negotiations in March.
Developing countries, which often do not have the money to fund such campaigns, are fighting for ABS, hoping not to be left behind in what many see as a huge future market in the marketing of MGR, especially by pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies. Search for “miracle molecules”.
It remains to be seen how many countries will decide to join.
The NGOs believe that the 60-ratification threshold required for it to enter into force should be reachable because the BBNJ’s high-ambitious coalition – which has pushed for the treaty – has about 50 or so countries as members, including EU countries. So are Chile, Mexico, India and Japan.
But 60 countries is a far cry from universal adoption — the United Nations includes 193 countries — which is what ocean advocates are pushing for.
“Let us carry this momentum forward,” said the President of the UN General Assembly. “Let us continue to work to protect our oceans, our planet and all the people on it.” Chapa Korosi.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the treaty, which will establish a legal framework for extending environmental protection to international waters, which make up more than 60 percent of the world’s oceans, as a “historic achievement”.
After more than 15 years of discussions, including four years of formal negotiations, UN member states finally agreed to the text of the treaty in March after a flurry of marathon final talks.
The text has since been frozen, and has been checked by UN lawyers and translators for compliance with the organization’s six official languages.
“Healthy oceans, from coastal waters to remote high seas and deep seabed regions, are integral to human health, well-being, and survival,” noted a group of scientists in The Lancet Journal.
Scientists are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the oceans, which produce most of the oxygen we breathe, limit climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, and host rich areas of biodiversity, often at the microscopic level.
But with so much of the world’s oceans outside individual countries’ exclusive economic zones, and thus the jurisdiction of any single country, providing protection for the so-called “high seas” requires international cooperation.
Marine reserves
The result is that it has long been ignored in many ecological battles, with coastal regions highlighted and a few emblematic species.
The main instrument of the treaty will be the ability to establish marine protected areas in international waters.
Currently, only about one percent of the high seas is protected by any kind of conservation measure.
The treaty is seen as crucial for countries protecting 30 percent of the world’s oceans and land by 2030, as agreed by the world’s governments in a separate landmark agreement reached in Montreal in December.
After adoption, he said, “the race to legalization will begin” and the 30 percent target will still be “within reach.” Chris Thorne Greenpeace.
The treaty, formally known as the Treaty on Extranational Biological Diversity or BBNJ, also introduces requirements for conducting environmental impact studies for proposed activities to be carried out in international waters.
These activities, while not included in the text, would include anything from fishing and marine transportation to more controversial activities, such as deep sea mining or even geoengineering programs aimed at combating global warming.
The treaty also sets principles for sharing the benefits of “marine genetic resources” (MGR) collected through scientific research in international waters — a sticking point that nearly derailed last-minute negotiations in March.
Developing countries, which often do not have the money to fund such campaigns, are fighting for ABS, hoping not to be left behind in what many see as a huge future market in the marketing of MGR, especially by pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies. Search for “miracle molecules”.
It remains to be seen how many countries will decide to join.
The NGOs believe that the 60-ratification threshold required for it to enter into force should be reachable because the BBNJ’s high-ambitious coalition – which has pushed for the treaty – has about 50 or so countries as members, including EU countries. So are Chile, Mexico, India and Japan.
But 60 countries is a far cry from universal adoption — the United Nations includes 193 countries — which is what ocean advocates are pushing for.
“Let us carry this momentum forward,” said the President of the UN General Assembly. “Let us continue to work to protect our oceans, our planet and all the people on it.” Chapa Korosi.
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