UN confirms landmark treaty to protect marine biodiversity in international waters

The United Nations has confirmed a new landmark treaty which will protect the ocean, tackle environmental degradation, fight climate change, and prevent biodiversity loss.

The new treaty will allow to establish large-scale marine protected areas on the high seas, which are also necessary to meet the global commitment of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Agreement concluded last December to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.

For the first time, the treaty will also require assessing the impact of economic activities on high seas biodiversity.

Developing countries will be supported in their participation in and implementation of the new treaty by a strong capacity-building and marine technology transfer component, funded from a variety of public and private sources and by an equitable mechanism for sharing the potential benefits of marine genetic resources.

Now that the negotiations are over, the Agreement shall enter into force once 60 States will have ratified.

Through his Spokesperson, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the treaty is crucial for addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.  

“It is also vital for achieving ocean-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” said the statement, referring to the so-called ‘30x30’ pledge to protect a third of the world's biodiversity – on land and sea – by 2030 made by a historic UN conference in Montreal this past December."

Noting that the decision builds on the legacy of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Secretary-General commended all parties for their ambition, flexibility and perseverance, and saluted Ambassador Rena Lee, of Singapore, for her leadership and dedication.  

The formal adoption of the treaty will take place once legal scrubbing in UN languages is complete.

Find out more here.