14 Mar The “High Seas” Treaty
More good news for the planet with nearly 200 countries agreeing to a legally-binding “high seas treaty” on March 4th.
Late last year, at the COP15 UN biodiversity conference, an agreement was reached that included 23 conservation targets, the most prominent of which would place 30% of land and sea under protection by 2030.
Extending 200 nautical miles beyond each countries’ territorial waters, international waters represent two-thirds of the world’s oceans; all countries have a right to fish, ship and do research there. According to the nonprofit High Seas Alliance, currently just over 1% of these waters, known as “high seas” have been protected. This leaves marine life living in the vast majority of the high seas at risk of exploitation from threats including climate change, overfishing and shipping traffic.
“These waters provide the habitat for a wealth of unique species and ecosystems, support global fisheries on which billions of people rely and are a crucial buffer against the climate crisis – the ocean has absorbed more than 90% of the world’s excess heat over the last decades.” reported CNN. “Yet they are also highly vulnerable. Climate change is causing ocean temperatures to rise, and increasingly acidic waters threaten marine life.”
The new treaty, which still needs to be ratified by the U.N., establishes a legal framework for upping the current protected percentage to a full 30% of the world’s marine ecosystems, helping to pursue the COP15 goal. There is much work to be done, but after a decade of negotiations, this is a huge step forward.
As the CNN article goes on to say, “Countries now have to formally adopt and ratify the treaty. Then the work will start to implement the marine sanctuaries and to attempt to meet the target of protecting 30% of global oceans by 2030.”
CNN Article “Countries agree on historic high seas treaty to protect international waters“, March 6, 2023
Other links of interest:
UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15)
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