UN adopts landmark treaty to safeguard high seas

The United Nations has planned to adopt the world’s first international treaty aimed at protecting the high seas on Monday.

After over 15 years of discussions, this environmental accord marks a significant milestone in global efforts to preserve the vast expanses of international waters, which constitute more than 60 percent of the Earth’s oceans.

Minna Epps, the ocean team director of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, described the occasion as a “historic moment,” while expressing dismay at the lengthy deliberations, stating, “it’s appalling that it took so long.”

The groundbreaking treaty will establish a comprehensive legal framework to extend vital environmental protections to the high seas. Following four years of official negotiations, UN member states reached an agreement on the treaty text in March after intense and lengthy discussions.

Since then, the text has undergone careful scrutiny by the UN’s legal experts and translators to ensure consistency across the organization’s six official languages.

However, the journey does not conclude with Monday’s adoption. The treaty must be ratified by at least 60 member states to come into effect.

Highlighting the significance of safeguarding the oceans, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently posed a thought-provoking question on Twitter: “Humanity counts on the ocean. But can the ocean count on us?” He emphasized the need for increased maritime protections.

Scientists have grown increasingly aware of the oceans’ vital role, as they generate most of the oxygen we breathe, mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, and harbor diverse ecosystems, often at the microscopic level.

Yet, due to the high seas falling beyond the jurisdiction of any individual country’s exclusive economic zones, providing protection for these areas necessitates international cooperation. Consequently, the high seas have often been neglected in environmental initiatives, with attention predominantly focused on coastal regions.

– Marine reserves and impact studies –

One of the treaty’s key provisions is the establishment of protected marine areas in international waters. Presently, only around one percent of the high seas benefit from conservation measures, which is inadequate in achieving the goal set by world governments in the Montreal Accord of preserving 30 percent of the world’s oceans and lands by 2030.

Without ratifying the high seas treaty, experts argue that reaching the 30×30 target would be unattainable. Jessica Battle, an ocean policy expert at the World Wildlife Fund, emphasized the critical role of the treaty in meeting this ambitious objective.

Formally known as the treaty on “Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction” (BBNJ), the agreement also includes requirements for conducting environmental impact studies for proposed activities in international waters. While the treaty does not explicitly list these activities, they encompass endeavors such as fishing, maritime transport, deep-sea mining, and even geo-engineering programs aimed at combating global warming.

Moreover, the treaty establishes principles for the equitable sharing of benefits derived from “marine genetic resources” (MGR) obtained through scientific research in international waters. This particular issue posed a challenge during the negotiations in March but was ultimately resolved.

Developing countries, which often lack the financial means to conduct such expeditions, fought for rights to share the benefits, aiming to avoid being left behind in the potential future commercialization of MGR. Industries such as pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies are particularly interested in these resources, as they search for “miracle molecules.”

Observers believe that finding 60 countries to ratify the agreement following its adoption will not be a challenging task. The High Ambition Coalition for the BBNJ, which advocated for the treaty, already comprises around 50 countries, including members of the European Union, Chile, Mexico, India, and Japan.