Negotiations took 15 years, but negotiators from more than 100 countries finally finalized a United Nations treaty to protect the oceans; The legally binding agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of ocean biodiversity has finally been adopted, one day after the original deadline, after five lengthy rounds of UN-led negotiations culminated in New York yesterday. “The ship has reached shore,” said Rena Lee, head of the United Nations Conference, visibly moving at the end of a final marathon of negotiations.
The agreement is seen as a crucial component of global efforts to protect 30 percent of the world’s land and seas by the end of the decade, a goal known as the “30 by 30” agreed upon in Montreal in December. Economic interests have been a major point of contention in the latest round of negotiations, which began on February 20, with developing countries demanding a larger share of the spoils of the “blue economy”, including technology transfer. Even the agreement to share the benefits of “marine genetic resources” used in industries such as biotechnology remained a matter of debate until the end.
The European Commission spoke of a “historic moment”. “With the agreement on the United Nations High Seas Charter, we are taking a vital step in protecting the marine life and biodiversity essential to us and future generations,” said Virginijus Sinkevicius, Oceans Environment Commissioner. and fishing. According to Greenpeace, 11 million square kilometers of ocean must be protected each year by 2030 to achieve the goal. Few areas of the high seas are protected, and pollution, acidification and overfishing are a growing threat.
“Countries need to formally accept the treaty and ratify it as soon as possible for it to take effect, thereby providing the protected oceanic protected areas our planet needs,” said Greenpeace ocean activist Laura Meller, who attended the talks. “Time is running out to make 30 by 30. We still have half a decade left. We have half a decade left and we can’t remain indifferent.”
Sweden, which is participating in the negotiations as the holder of the EU’s rotating presidency, said the agreement is “the most important international agreement on the environment” since the 2015 Paris Agreement on combating climate change. “It is also a victory for the United Nations and the global system that we have managed to reach such an important agreement at a very difficult time,” Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said in a written statement. said.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
