2023-06-20 18:58:18
Its entry into force is expected in June 2025, after its ratification by more than sixty countries.
A crucial new step has been taken towards a treaty to protect the high seas, which lie beyond countries’ territorial waters. The representatives of the 193 members of the United Nations, meeting in New York on June 19 and 20, adopted the text. This draft treaty establishes a framework to protect «60% of the oceans, i.e. more than 40% of Earth’s surface»welcomes Hervé Berville, Secretary of State for the Sea.
Rena Lee, representative of Singapore and chair of the debates, brought to a conclusion discussions started more than fifteen years ago to protect this crucial area for the climate, the environment and humanity. The oceans capture 90% of the excess heat in the atmosphere and around a quarter of the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities. They are therefore essential for «our resilience to climate change and the livelihoods of billions of people»recalls Rebecca Hubbard, director of the Ahigh seas alliancewhich brings together fifty NGOs and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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Share revenue
The text indicates an original method for sharing information and income derived from marine genetic resources: the benefits in medicine, pharmacy or cosmetics from samples taken from the high seas will partly benefit neighboring countries that do not have the means to research or to exploit the resources off their coasts. Above all, this treaty will contribute to achieving the global objectives on biodiversity, decided in December 2022, to protect 30% of marine and terrestrial areas by 2030. The draft treaty on the high seas sets a «binding legal framework, because a majority of countries can decide to create a marine area, without a single country being able to block its creation»adds the French Secretary of State.
We are still at the beginning of the process towards the promulgation of the treaty. The countries which want to ratify it will have to make sure that they do not have national laws which oppose its ratification.
Rebecca Hubbard, Director of the High Seas Alliance.
«It is an important agreement but we are still at the beginning of the process towards the promulgation of the treaty. The countries that want to ratify it will have to make sure that they have no national laws that oppose its ratification, and if necessary adapt their legislation», says Rebecca Hubbard. The High Seas Treaty will enter into force 120 days after it is ratified by a 60th country. A deadline hoped for in two years, in June 2025, in Nice, during the UN conference on the ocean.
52 countries have already pledged to ratify the treaty
Already, 52 countries, including those of the European Union, India and in particular Japan, united in the High Ambition Coalition, have committed to ratifying it. On the French side, this should not pose any difficulties, «after the tabling of a law of ratification in Parliament», specifies Hervé Berville. In September, at the next meeting of the United Nations, a large number of countries will have to sign this draft treaty to put pressure on the most hesitant. Russia considered «totally unacceptable» several elements of the text. In addition, discussions on the exploitation of metallic nodules, particularly rich in copper, nickel and cobalt, are to take place in Kingston (Jamaica) in July, at the headquarters of theInternational Seabed Authority. Will a moratorium be decided? Otherwise, the High Seas Treaty risks ending up as a fine edifice threatened by mining, which could upset marine biodiversity and release CO2 stored in the seabed.
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