Many of the ocean belongs to nobody — however is the accountability of everybody.
Practically two-thirds of Earth’s seas lie past the jurisdiction of any nation, and in these “excessive seas” are a bounty: greater than 90 percent of ocean habitat and among the highest reservoirs of biodiversity on the planet.
But solely about 1 percent of the high seas are at present protected, regardless of threats from overfishing, plastic air pollution and local weather change — with seabed mining looming within the close to future.
A landmark United Nations treaty to protect the high seas goals to vary that — it simply must be ratified by international locations. First adopted in 2023, the excessive seas treaty opens the door to marine protected areas within the waters past nationwide jurisdictions. Solely 31 nations have ratified to date so it has but to enter impact.
World leaders will collect for the third United Nations Ocean Convention (UNOC) in France this week, and ocean advocates hope it’ll present momentum to succeed in the 60 international locations wanted to ratify the treaty.
Monica Medina, Arnhold Fellow at Conservation Worldwide, not too long ago spoke with Conservation Information about this decades-in-the-making treaty, and what’s at stake.
Conservation Information: Let’s begin with some scene setting — why is the excessive seas treaty historic?
Monica Medina: The excessive seas make up almost half of the planet’s floor — but solely a sliver of that huge and largely unexplored expanse has been protected. And since no nation controls these waters — it may be just like the Wild West on the market. That’s why the excessive seas treaty is so essential — it’s meant to step up and fill that void.
And it’s been years within the making, going all the best way again to the 1982 UN Law of the Sea Convention. Also called the Legislation of the Sea Treaty, it’s considered because the “structure” of the ocean, and it enshrines the idea that there are areas of the ocean that we should shield as a human race to outlive.
And it couldn’t come at a extra necessary time as isolationist considering is on the rise and multilateralism is below query. This week’s UNOC is a vital second for the world to step up and say, sure, we’re nonetheless working collectively and it is a precedence.
The place does the treaty stand forward of UNOC?
MM: Up to now, roughly 30 countries have ratified the treaty, so we’re about midway there. It’s a little bit of a disappointment that we’re not additional alongside, however I’m optimistic that occasions like UNOC will give us momentum. In simply the final two months main as much as the convention, 10 new international locations have signed on. And I count on extra will announce ratification whereas we’re on the convention.
Unsurprisingly, it takes time to ratify a treaty, which is a legally binding settlement. As a result of the excessive seas exist outdoors of anyone nation’s jurisdiction, that’s mandatory as all international locations have to comply with it. With out that help, marine protected areas within the excessive seas run the chance of turning into “paper parks” with none actual enforcement or safety.
Two issues give me hope that it’ll enter into pressure quickly. For one, on the primary day the treaty was open for signature with the intent to ratify, almost 100 international locations signed up instantly. And, the primary preparatory session for implementing the treaty has already taken place, the place representatives have hashed out particulars like potential areas to focus on for cover and easy methods to strategy funding.
There are a number of different necessary environmental conferences developing this yr, together with COP30 in Brazil. These occasions are stress factors that create deadlines for international locations to step up and get the job performed.
What’s at stake?
MM: Dr. Jane Lubchenko, a famend marine biologist and former head of the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), correctly mentioned that oceans are too huge to disregard. Prior to now, we regularly considered them as large, huge locations that might by no means be overexploited. Take a look at the headlines right this moment about plummeting fish populations, climate change and runaway plastic pollution and it’s crystal clear: they are not limitless.
Protected areas are our greatest instrument to revive and defend oceans. Actually, we are able to’t attain our international purpose of “30 by 30”— which almost each nation on Earth, excluding america, has agreed to — to guard 30 p.c of the planet’s land and seas without the high seas. It is actually necessary to focus on locations that also have not had the heavy footprint of human impression and attempt to maintain on to them. Lots of these locations are within the excessive seas — they usually’re below risk from unlawful fishing and the potential for mining treasured metals on the seafloor, at nice hurt to the atmosphere.
Much less talked about, but additionally necessary is the bioprospecting angle of the treaty. What does that imply? It’s primarily in regards to the organisms within the excessive seas and their potential for scientific breakthroughs — whether or not that’s creating a plastic alternative or new medical medication that save lives. We’re solely simply starting to determine easy methods to notice this a part of the treaty, nevertheless it ensures that these new genetic discoveries will probably be cataloged and shared throughout the globe so the entire world can profit as a result of what lies within the excessive seas belongs to everybody and is the frequent heritage of mankind.
What’s subsequent?
MM: As soon as the treaty is ratified, a 120-day countdown to it taking impact begins. Inside a yr, the primary assembly of the UN Convention of the Events will happen, the place international locations will comply with measures to guard the excessive seas, like marine protected areas and easy methods to fund these efforts.
Conservation Worldwide has been centered on supporting the treaty’s ratification and implementation and easy methods to put this authorized framework into follow as a founding member of the Blue Nature Alliance.
We’re additionally leaders of the Coral Reefs of the High Seas Coalition, which has already recognized a number of excessive seas areas as priorities for cover. One in every of these is the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges, a collection of deep-sea mountain ranges off the coasts of Peru and Chile. It’s a migration hall for sharks, whales and turtles — and residential to reef-building corals, which help thriving underwater gardens. Furthermore, these waters have deep cultural significance: Polynesian voyagers crisscrossed them for hundreds of years as they explored from the West Pacific to Rapa Nui.
The excessive seas treaty has been a very long time coming — we’re so near it turning into a actuality. I’m hopeful that this convention provides us the enhance we have to cross the end line and get to work.
Mary Kate McCoy is a workers author at Conservation Worldwide. Wish to learn extra tales like this? Sign up for email updates. Additionally, please consider supporting our critical work.
