UN member states on Monday adopted the first international treaty to protect the high seas, a key agreement to counter threats to the ocean and its good health, which is also vital for humanity.
“The agreement is adopted,” said conference president Rena Lee to applause after the consensus adoption.
“The ocean is the life force of our planet. Today, you have breathed new life and new hope so that the ocean has a fighting chance,” commented UN Secretary General António Guterres, hailing a “historic achievement”.
Despite the adoption, Russia distanced itself from the consensus, calling certain elements of the text “totally unacceptable”.
In March, after more than 15 years of discussions, including four years of formal negotiations, the Member States had finally managed to reach an agreement, at the end of two more weeks of marathon negotiations, the third “last” session in one year.
The text, then frozen on the merits, has since been scrutinized by legal services and translated to be available in the six official languages of the United Nations.
While marine ecosystems are threatened by climate change, pollution and overfishing, science has proven the importance of protecting this entire ocean, teeming with often microscopic biodiversity, which provides half of the oxygen we breathe. and limits warming by absorbing a significant part of the CO2 emitted by human activities.
The high seas begin where the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the States end, at a maximum of 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coasts and are therefore not under the jurisdiction of any State.
Even if it represents almost half of the planet and more than 60% of the oceans, it has long been ignored in the environmental fight, to the benefit of coastal areas and a few emblematic species.
Flagship tool of the new treaty: the creation of marine protected areas in these international waters.
“Let’s continue this momentum”
Today, only about 1% of the high seas is subject to conservation measures. But in December in Montreal, all the States of the planet made a commitment to protect, by 2030, 30% of the land and oceans of the planet.
With the adoption, “the race for ratification begins and the goal of protecting at least 30% of the oceans by 2030 remains within reach,” commented Chris Thorne of Greenpeace.
The new treaty on “the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction” also introduces the obligation to carry out environmental impact assessments of proposed activities on the high seas.
The text does not list them, but it could range from fishing to transport, including potential controversial activities such as underwater mining or geoengineering aimed at limiting global warming.
The treaty also establishes the principle of sharing the benefits of marine genetic resources collected from the high seas, which crystallized tensions until the last minute in March.
Developing countries which do not have the means to finance very expensive expeditions and research have obtained the principle of an “equitable” sharing of marine genetic resources, whether it be access to scientific data or a share of the anticipated profits. the commercialization of these resources – which belong to no one – from which pharmaceutical or cosmetic companies hope to extract miracle molecules.
The text will be opened for signature on September 20, when dozens of heads of state and government will be in New York for the UN General Assembly. It remains to be seen how many countries will decide to board.
NGOs believe that the threshold of 60 ratifications to enter into force should not be too difficult to reach, the Coalition for a high ambition of this treaty, led by the EU, already counting around 50 countries, including Japan, Chile , India or Mexico.
But 60 is a far cry from the universality advocated by ocean advocates who hope the political momentum around adoption won’t wane.
“Let’s continue this momentum,” pleaded Monday the President of the UN General Assembly Csaba Körösi, welcoming a “landmark agreement”.
“Let’s continue to work to protect our oceans, our planet, and all the people who live there.”