2023-06-20 15:17:33
This Monday the UN announced the approval of the “historic” Treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, better known as the High Seas Treaty, an agreement to preserve and guarantee sustainable use of two thirds of the oceans.
“You have breathed new life and hope so that the oceans have a fighting chance,” said the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, who considers the pact “a test of the strength of multilateralism.”
“By acting against threats to our planet beyond borders, you are showing that global threats deserve global action and that countries can unite for the common good,” he argued.
The agreement will be open to accessions for two years from September 20 and will enter into force as soon as it has been ratified by 60 countries.
Strengthens the legal framework for conservation
This agreement is based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, but significantly strengthens the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, the UN highlights. It thus provides a framework for cooperation between countries and other actors that will be “crucial” to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The pact includes four key points. The first aspires to “a fair and equitable sharing of the benefits of activities related to marine genetic resources (…) for the benefit of all Humanity”.
It also provides for the creation of protected areas to preserve vital habitats, protected species and sea beds or the need to assess the impact of economic activities. It also provides for an international legal framework to assess the impact of offshore activities and their consequences for climate change, ocean acidification, and other impacts.
Finally, it will facilitate cooperation and the transfer of marine technology to help the signatory parties, in particular developing countries, to meet the objectives of the agreement and “thus level the playing field” for responsible use high seas.
The agreement also includes a basis for financing the planned measures and a mechanism to resolve disputes. It also creates a Conference of the Parties, a Scientific and Technical Body and other instances.
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