{"id":4522,"date":"2023-03-05T15:40:08","date_gmt":"2023-03-05T15:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=4522"},"modified":"2023-03-05T17:31:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-05T17:31:29","slug":"nations-reach-accord-to-protect-marine-life-on-high-seas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/magazine\/climate\/nations-reach-accord-to-protect-marine-life-on-high-seas\/2023\/03\/05\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"Nations reach accord to protect marine life on high seas"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON<\/span> (AP)<\/span> –<\/span>\u00a0For<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> time,<\/span> members<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> Nations<\/span> have<\/span> agreed<\/span> to<\/span> a<\/span> unified<\/span> convention<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> the<\/span> biodiversity<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> high<\/span> seas.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> United<\/span> Nations<\/span> Convention<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> Law<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Sea<\/span> came<\/span> into<\/span> force<\/span> in<\/span> 1994,<\/span> before<\/span> marine<\/span> biodiversity<\/span> was<\/span> a<\/span> well-established<\/span> concept.<\/span> The<\/span> contract<\/span> agreement<\/span> ended<\/span> his<\/span> two-week<\/span> consultation<\/span> in<\/span> New<\/span> York.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>A<\/span> modern<\/span> framework<\/span> for<\/span> protecting<\/span> marine<\/span> life<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> transboundary<\/span> waters<\/span> known<\/span> as<\/span> the<\/span> high<\/span> seas<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> under<\/span> discussion<\/span> for<\/span> more<\/span> than<\/span> two<\/span> decades,<\/span> but<\/span> previous<\/span> efforts<\/span> to<\/span> reach<\/span> agreement<\/span> have<\/span> repeatedly<\/span> stalled.<\/span> A<\/span> unity<\/span> pact<\/span> covering<\/span> nearly<\/span> half<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> world’s<\/span> surface<\/span> was<\/span> reached<\/span> late<\/span> Saturday.<\/span> \u201cWe<\/span> have<\/span> only<\/span> two<\/span> major<\/span> global<\/span> commons,<\/span> the<\/span> atmosphere<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> oceans,\u201d<\/span> says<\/span> Rebecca<\/span> Helm,<\/span> a<\/span> marine<\/span> biologist<\/span> in<\/span> Georgetown.<\/span> Protecting<\/span> this<\/span> half<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> world<\/span> is<\/span> absolutely<\/span> critical<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> health<\/span> of<\/span> our<\/span> planet.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Nicola<\/span> Clarke,<\/span> a<\/span> marine<\/span> expert<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> Pew<\/span> Charitable<\/span> Trust,<\/span> observed<\/span> the<\/span> meeting<\/span> in<\/span> New<\/span> York<\/span> and<\/span> called<\/span> the<\/span> long-awaited<\/span> treaty<\/span> text<\/span> “a<\/span> unique<\/span> opportunity<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> the<\/span> oceans<\/span> –<\/span> a<\/span> big<\/span> win<\/span> for<\/span> biodiversity.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> treaty<\/span> creates<\/span> a<\/span> new<\/span> body<\/span> to<\/span> manage<\/span> the<\/span> protection<\/span> of<\/span> marine<\/span> life<\/span> and<\/span> establish<\/span> marine<\/span> protected<\/span> areas<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> high<\/span> seas.<\/span> Mr<\/span> Clark<\/span> said<\/span> this<\/span> was<\/span> important<\/span> in<\/span> order<\/span> to<\/span> meet<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> Nations<\/span> Biodiversity<\/span> Conference’s<\/span> recent<\/span> pledge<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> his<\/span> 30%<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> earth’s<\/span> water<\/span> bodies<\/span> and<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> his<\/span> country.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Contract<\/span> negotiations<\/span> were<\/span> originally<\/span> scheduled<\/span> to<\/span> end<\/span> on<\/span> Friday,<\/span> but<\/span> were<\/span> extended<\/span> overnight<\/span> until<\/span> Saturday.<\/span> The<\/span> drafting<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> sometimes<\/span> endangered<\/span> agreement<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> “historic<\/span> and<\/span> overwhelming<\/span> success<\/span> for<\/span> international<\/span> ocean<\/span> protection,”<\/span> said<\/span> Federal<\/span> Environment<\/span> Minister<\/span> Steffi<\/span> Lemke.<\/span> “For<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> time,<\/span> we<\/span> have<\/span> a<\/span> binding<\/span> agreement<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> high<\/span> seas,<\/span> which<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> largely<\/span> unprotected,”<\/span> Lemke<\/span> said.<\/span> “More<\/span> than<\/span> 40%<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Earth’s<\/span> surface<\/span> is<\/span> finally<\/span> under<\/span> comprehensive<\/span> protection<\/span> for<\/span> endangered<\/span> species<\/span> and<\/span> habitats.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> agreement<\/span> also<\/span> establishes<\/span> ground<\/span> rules<\/span> for<\/span> conducting<\/span> environmental<\/span> impact<\/span> assessments<\/span> of<\/span> commercial<\/span> activities<\/span> at<\/span> sea.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“This<\/span> means<\/span> that<\/span> not<\/span> all<\/span> planned<\/span> activities<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> high<\/span> seas<\/span> will<\/span> be<\/span> fully<\/span> evaluated,<\/span> but<\/span> must<\/span> be<\/span> reviewed,”<\/span> said<\/span> Jessica<\/span> Battle,<\/span> an<\/span> ocean<\/span> policy<\/span> expert<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> World<\/span> Wildlife<\/span> Fund.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Several<\/span> marine<\/span> species,<\/span> including<\/span> dolphins,<\/span> whales,<\/span> sea<\/span> turtles<\/span> and<\/span> many<\/span> fish,<\/span> make<\/span> long<\/span> migrations<\/span> each<\/span> year<\/span> across<\/span> national<\/span> borders<\/span> and<\/span> high<\/span> seas.<\/span> Human<\/span> communities<\/span> that<\/span> depend<\/span> on<\/span> fishing<\/span> and<\/span> marine-related<\/span> tourism,<\/span> along<\/span> with<\/span> efforts<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> them,<\/span> have<\/span> long<\/span> proven<\/span> difficult<\/span> for<\/span> international<\/span> governing<\/span> bodies.<\/span> “This<\/span> treaty<\/span> will<\/span> help<\/span> bring<\/span> together<\/span> different<\/span> regional<\/span> treaties<\/span> to<\/span> address<\/span> threats<\/span> and<\/span> concerns<\/span> across<\/span> the<\/span> range<\/span> of<\/span> species,”<\/span> Battle<\/span> said.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Its<\/span> protection<\/span> will<\/span> also<\/span> benefit<\/span> coastal<\/span> biodiversity<\/span> and<\/span> economies,<\/span> said<\/span> Gladys<\/span> Martinez<\/span> de<\/span> Lemos,<\/span> executive<\/span> director<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> nonprofit<\/span> American<\/span> Environmental<\/span> Defense<\/span> Association,<\/span> which<\/span> focuses<\/span> on<\/span> environmental<\/span> issues<\/span> across<\/span> Latin<\/span> America.<\/span>\u00a0
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cGovernments<\/span> have<\/span> taken<\/span> important<\/span> steps<\/span> to<\/span> strengthen<\/span> the<\/span> legal<\/span> protection<\/span> of<\/span> her<\/span> two-thirds<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> ocean,<\/span> thus<\/span> enhancing<\/span> marine<\/span> biodiversity<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> livelihoods<\/span> of<\/span> coastal<\/span> communities,\u201d<\/span> she<\/span> said.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> question<\/span> is<\/span> how<\/span> well<\/span> the<\/span> ambitious<\/span> deal<\/span> will<\/span> be<\/span> executed.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Official<\/span> approval<\/span> has<\/span> yet<\/span> to<\/span> come,<\/span> and<\/span> many<\/span> conservationists<\/span> and<\/span> environmental<\/span> groups<\/span> have<\/span> pledged<\/span> to<\/span> keep<\/span> a<\/span> close<\/span> eye<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> plan.<\/span> The<\/span> high<\/span> seas<\/span> have<\/span> long<\/span> been<\/span> plagued<\/span> by<\/span> exploitation<\/span> from<\/span> commercial<\/span> fishing<\/span> and<\/span> mining,<\/span> and<\/span> pollution<\/span> from<\/span> chemicals<\/span> and<\/span> plastics.<\/span> Malin<\/span> Pinsky,<\/span> a<\/span> biologist<\/span> at<\/span> Rutgers<\/span> University,<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> new<\/span> agreement<\/span> “recognises<\/span> that<\/span> the<\/span> ocean<\/span> is<\/span> not<\/span> an<\/span> infinite<\/span> resource<\/span> and<\/span> that<\/span> sustainable<\/span> use<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> ocean<\/span> requires<\/span> global<\/span> cooperation.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON (AP) –\u00a0For the first time, members of the United Nations have agreed to a unified convention to protect the biodiversity of the high seas. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea came into force in 1994, before marine biodiversity was a well-established concept. The contract agreement ended his two-week consultation in […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[714,562],"tags":[1482,1483,1484,1485,1486,1487,1479,1480,1481],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/sea.webp","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4522"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4522"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4522\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4533,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4522\/revisions\/4533"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}