A new global legally binding High Seas Treaty to create a framework to conserve marine life and restrain harmful activities in two-thirds of the ocean has finally been agreed upon by nations convening in New York last week..
The treaty has been 20 years in the making to formulate a text outlining mechanisms to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, including the high seas.
The wildlife and biodiversity charity, WWF says the agreement will allow for the establishment of high seas marine protected areas (MPAs) and help fill the gaps in the current patchwork of management bodies, resulting in better cooperation and less cumulative impact of activities on the high seas, such as shipping, industrial fishing, and other resource exploitation.
“What happens on the high seas will no longer be ‘out of sight, out of mind’. The High Seas Treaty will allow for the kind of oversight and integration we need if we want the ocean to keep providing the social, economic, and environmental benefits humanity currently enjoys,” said Jessica Battle, senior global ocean governance and policy expert.
Jessica herself played an integral role in leading WWF’s team at the Treaty’s negotiations.
“We can now look at the cumulative impact on our ocean in a way that reflects the interconnected blue economy and the ecosystems that support it.”
WWF believes the High Seas Treaty is necessary to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework, which commits countries to protect and conserve at least 30% of the ocean, and ensure 30% of degraded areas are under restoration by 2030.
“This is a landmark moment for the ocean – one that will usher in a new era of collective responsibility for our planet’s most significant global commons,” said Pepe Clarke, global ocean practice leader for WWF. “Last year, nations committed to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Today’s achievement is a significant step toward delivering on that promise.”
Activities in the High Seas will be subject to environmental impact assessments commensurate with the scale of the impact. All activities that could have an impact on ocean life will need to be covered under these assessments, providing the opportunity to halt damaging activities and reduce cumulative impacts.
This will be particularly important when it comes to any potential activities such as deep seabed mining and deep sea carbon capture and storage.
A Scientific and Technical Body will now be established to ensure proposals and management plans for marine protected areas are robustly assessed, and environmental impact assessment reports are received and made accessible to the global community. Meanwhile, the Implementation and Compliance Committee will operationalise enhanced cooperation in a meaningful way, while a dispute resolution mechanism will provide an opportunity for states to take action against breaches.
“Ocean advocates worldwide can savour this moment years in the making,” added Jessica. “But this is not the finish line. For the treaty’s good intentions to deliver results on the water, we’ve got to keep the pressure up.
“Once technicalities are worked out and the treaty is adapted, it needs to enter into force so that it can be put to work – all countries must quickly formally sign and ratify it into their own national legislation. Words matter, but our ocean needs action.”
