International Fund for the Protection of Nature (WWF) on February 14 called on governments to protect the world’s oceans by finalizing the High Seas Treaty during negotiations at the United Nations in New York this March.
According to WWF senior expert on global ocean policy and management, Jessica Battle, the first treaty on biodiversity in the high seas will provide a globally recognized mechanism for designation. marine protected areas.
This treaty plays a very important role in achieving the goal of protecting at least 30% of the world’s oceans.
At the 5th International Congress of Marine Protected Areas (IMPAC5) taking place in Vancouver, Canada from February 3-9, WWF called on policymakers to strengthen global ocean protection. from 8% to 30% within 8 years.
[Thỏa thuận Côn Minh-Montreal bảo vệ sự đa dạng sinh học toàn cầu]
Earlier, at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention United Nations On biodiversity (COP15) in the city of Montreal (Canada) in December 2022, 196 countries have agreed to the goal of protecting and conserving at least 30% of the world’s marine and coastal areas in the future. The Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
In a resolution in December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly decided to convene an intergovernmental conference to draft an internationally legally binding instrument on the conservation and use of natural resources. Biodiversity sea. However, UN negotiations on the High Seas Treaty stalled in August 2022 when delegates said more time was needed to reach agreement on the final text.
According to Ms. Battle, the treaty will be ratified after it has been signed by 30 countries and will be incorporated into national legislation.
The open sea covers nearly 50% of the Earth’s surface and more than 60% of the area oceancalculated from the outer boundary of each country’s exclusive economic zone and not under the jurisdiction of any other country.
This means that there is no agency responsible for or mandated to manage and no comprehensive management mechanism can protect the creatures living in these waters.
The protection of international waters has long been overlooked as all attention is focused on coastal areas. Only 1% of international waters are protected by law.
WWF also says the ocean faces new potential threats such as deep-sea mining, a nascent industry that can cause irreparable harm to fragile ecosystems. in the deep sea.
According to Mr. Battle, the world needs to protect this very important environment to achieve its biodiversity goals and also to protect the ocean as a carbon sink.
According to WWF, many areas of the ocean are important for sharks, tuna, whales and sea turtles, and support billions of dollars in economic activity every year.
Minh Hang (VNA/Vietnam+)