Zürcher Nachrichten - New treaty plots conservation course for high seas

EUR -
AED 3.829636
AFN 73.124732
ALL 98.67132
AMD 416.19609
ANG 1.876087
AOA 950.891327
ARS 1069.345538
AUD 1.669845
AWG 1.876758
AZN 1.770715
BAM 1.958605
BBD 2.10181
BDT 124.398167
BGN 1.960374
BHD 0.392863
BIF 3078.208714
BMD 1.042643
BND 1.414526
BOB 7.193302
BRL 6.648516
BSD 1.040991
BTN 88.60991
BWP 14.457707
BYN 3.406679
BYR 20435.808856
BZD 2.0947
CAD 1.495203
CDF 2992.386179
CHF 0.922649
CLF 0.037382
CLP 1031.476921
CNY 7.610041
CNH 7.617776
COP 4580.707408
CRC 528.557017
CUC 1.042643
CUP 27.630048
CVE 110.423152
CZK 25.205537
DJF 185.375501
DKK 7.478911
DOP 63.410819
DZD 140.801661
EGP 52.92566
ERN 15.63965
ETB 132.542832
FJD 2.417525
FKP 0.825755
GBP 0.816351
GEL 2.930018
GGP 0.825755
GHS 15.301916
GIP 0.825755
GMD 75.070186
GNF 8996.885643
GTQ 8.018484
GYD 217.791929
HKD 8.098935
HNL 26.448881
HRK 7.478782
HTG 136.114948
HUF 412.147024
IDR 16871.115647
ILS 3.805893
IMP 0.825755
INR 89.039628
IQD 1363.65307
IRR 43882.250586
ISK 145.500487
JEP 0.825755
JMD 162.192297
JOD 0.739546
JPY 164.034903
KES 134.54284
KGS 90.71006
KHR 4183.992455
KMF 486.002152
KPW 938.378395
KRW 1518.722356
KWD 0.321322
KYD 0.867543
KZT 539.282378
LAK 22765.605669
LBP 93219.612277
LKR 306.799408
LRD 189.461353
LSL 19.356323
LTL 3.078655
LVL 0.630685
LYD 5.110319
MAD 10.497735
MDL 19.206508
MGA 4910.032314
MKD 61.618252
MMK 3386.464796
MNT 3542.901828
MOP 8.327727
MRU 41.555517
MUR 49.077589
MVR 16.043304
MWK 1805.085304
MXN 21.04758
MYR 4.678368
MZN 66.628796
NAD 19.356323
NGN 1606.880003
NIO 38.304862
NOK 11.83908
NPR 141.776056
NZD 1.846972
OMR 0.400904
PAB 1.040991
PEN 3.876352
PGK 4.225051
PHP 61.161205
PKR 289.808373
PLN 4.26867
PYG 8118.627773
QAR 3.786022
RON 4.988317
RSD 117.316157
RUB 104.099332
RWF 1452.179861
SAR 3.908442
SBD 8.741058
SCR 14.86499
SDG 627.15075
SEK 11.552884
SGD 1.408089
SHP 0.825755
SLE 23.773767
SLL 21863.712025
SOS 594.952111
SRD 36.553015
STD 21580.611407
SVC 9.109046
SYP 2619.672847
SZL 19.364735
THB 35.595791
TJS 11.388311
TMT 3.659678
TND 3.319254
TOP 2.441975
TRY 36.689711
TTD 7.074132
TWD 34.104442
TZS 2523.805691
UAH 43.648315
UGX 3810.457466
USD 1.042643
UYU 46.336365
UZS 13439.248145
VES 53.775216
VND 26514.419347
VUV 123.784702
WST 2.880602
XAF 656.897831
XAG 0.035236
XAU 0.000398
XCD 2.817795
XDR 0.798143
XOF 656.897831
XPF 119.331742
YER 261.051846
ZAR 19.454087
ZMK 9385.039032
ZMW 28.809262
ZWL 335.73072
  • RIO

    -0.0300

    59.2

    -0.05%

  • SCS

    0.0800

    11.73

    +0.68%

  • BCC

    0.9500

    123.19

    +0.77%

  • BCE

    0.0600

    22.9

    +0.26%

  • CMSC

    -0.1321

    23.77

    -0.56%

  • BTI

    0.0400

    36.26

    +0.11%

  • NGG

    -0.1600

    58.86

    -0.27%

  • CMSD

    0.1000

    23.65

    +0.42%

  • RBGPF

    59.8000

    59.8

    +100%

  • RELX

    0.3000

    45.89

    +0.65%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0100

    7.24

    -0.14%

  • JRI

    0.0500

    12.15

    +0.41%

  • VOD

    0.0600

    8.43

    +0.71%

  • GSK

    -0.0300

    34.03

    -0.09%

  • AZN

    -0.3300

    66.3

    -0.5%

  • BP

    0.0400

    28.79

    +0.14%

New treaty plots conservation course for high seas
New treaty plots conservation course for high seas / Photo: Patrick HERTZOG - AFP/File

New treaty plots conservation course for high seas

Protecting life in the vast expanse of ocean beyond national jurisdictions finally has an international roadmap after UN states agreed a landmark high seas treaty at the weekend.

Text size:

More than a decade in the making, the first international treaty on the high seas aims to promote the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in international waters -- a vast expanse that covers almost half the planet.

It is seen as essential to conserving 30 percent of the world's land and ocean by 2030, as agreed by world governments in a historic accord signed in Montreal in December.

Ocean ecosystems create half the oxygen humans breathe and limit global warming by absorbing much of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities.

But only about one percent of the high seas are currently protected.

"What happens on the high seas will no longer be 'out of sight, out of mind'," said Jessica Battle, Senior Global Ocean Governance and Policy Expert, who led WWF's team at the negotiations.

"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."

The text, which has now been published, will be formally adopted at a later date once it has been vetted by lawyers and translated into the United Nations' six official languages.

Here are some key points:

- Ocean at threat -

The treaty begins by recognising "the need to address, in a coherent and cooperative manner, biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystems of the ocean, due to, in particular, climate change impacts on marine ecosystems".

These impacts include the warming of ocean waters -- the world's seas have absorbed more than 90 percent of the excess heat caused by burning fossil fuels -- along with loss of oxygen, acidification, plastics and other pollutants and overfishing.

The text specifies that it will apply to ocean beyond countries' exclusive economic zones (EEZ), which extend to a maximum of 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coasts.

It also covers what is known as "the Area", shorthand for seabed and subsoil beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. The Area comprises just over half the planet's seabed.

In principle these measures apply to fishing and mining, although the treaty's decision-making body -- the Conference of the Parties (COP) -- will have to navigate the authority of other regional and global organisations.

Chief among these are regional fisheries bodies and the International Seabed Authority, which currently oversees permits for deep sea mining exploration in some areas and may soon make the controversial move of allowing companies to begin mining.

The treaty will take effect once ratified by 60 countries.

- Marine protections -

Currently almost all protected marine areas are within national territorial waters.

The treaty, however, allows for these to be extended to the open ocean to create sanctuaries, particularly in areas that are fragile, unique or crucial for endangered species.

Most decisions would be taken by consensus, but a marine protected area can be voted into existence with a three-quarters majority, avoiding a situation where one country or small group of nations can block a decision.

One crucial shortcoming: the text does not say how these conservation measures will be monitored and enforced over remote swathes of ocean. Some experts say satellites can be used to spot infractions.

- Sharing the bounty? -

In the high seas, countries and entities under their jurisdiction will be allowed to collect animal, vegetable or microbial matter whose genetic material might prove useful, even commercially.

Scientists, for example, have discovered molecules with the potential to treat cancer or other diseases in microbes scooped up in sediment, or produced by sponges or marine molluscs.

Benefits sharing has been a key bone of contention between wealthy and poorer nations.

The treaty calls for the transfer of marine technologies to developing countries and a strengthening of their research capacities, as well as open access data.

But it left the COP to decide on exactly how any monetary benefits will eventually be shared, with options including a system based on specific details about commercialised products, or more generalised payment systems.

- Assessing impacts -

The treaty requires signatories to assess the environmental impacts of planned activities under their control in the high seas before they are authorised.

It also calls for countries to assess the potential impact on international waters of activities within national jurisdictions that may cause "substantial pollution" or harm the marine environment.

The treaty allows for this to be done under a nation's own environmental assessment protocols, but says this must be published and that the COP's scientific body may "provide comments" on the process.

Ultimately states are responsible for giving the green light to any potentially harmful activity.

B.Brunner--NZN