https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5j87114deo
“A global agreement designed to protect the world's oceans and reverse damage
to marine life is set to become international law.
The
High Seas Treaty received its 60th ratification by Morocco on Friday,
meaning that it will now take effect from January.
The deal, which has been two decades in the making, will pave the way for
international waters to be placed into marine protected areas.
Environmentalists heralded the milestone as a "monumental achievement" and
evidence that countries can work together for environmental protection.
"Covering more than two-thirds of the ocean, the agreement sets binding rules
to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity," United Nations
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
Decades of overfishing, pollution from shipping and warming oceans from climate
change have damaged life below the surface.
In the latest assessment of marine species, nearly 10% were found to be at risk
of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN).
Three years ago, countries agreed that 30% of the world's national and
international waters - the high seas - must be protected by 2030 to help
depleted marine life recover.
But protecting the high seas is challenging. No one country controls these
waters and all nations have a right to ship and fish there.
Currently just 1% of the high seas are protected, leaving marine life at risk
of overexploitation.
So, in 2023, countries signed the
High Seas Treaty, pledging to put 30% of
these waters into Marine Protected Areas.
But it was only able to enter force if more than 60 nations ratified it -
meaning they agreed to be legally bound by it.
With many nations requiring parliamentary approval, ratification can often take
longer than five years, Elizabeth Wilson, senior director for environmental
policy at The Pews Charitable Trust, told the
BBC at the UN Oceans Conference
earlier this year. She said this was "record time".”
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
