For years, U.N. talks fail to finalize a treaty to manage the high seas. U.N. member states met this week in New York to hash out a treaty governing the sustainable management of the high seas, resource-rich international waters that span about two-thirds of the ocean.
If agreed, it would put 30% of the world’s oceans into conservation areas by 2030.
Campaigners hope it will protect marine life from overfishing and other human activities.
Two-thirds of the world’s oceans are currently considered international waters, which mean all countries have a right to fish, ship and do research there. But only 1.2% of these high seas, as they are referred to, are protected.
Warning that the outcome of the talks – which run from Monday until 26 August, will determine the fate of the ocean for generations, they are urging world leaders to agree to an ambitious, legally binding treaty to protect marine life and to reverse
This leaves the marine life living there at risk of exploitation from the increasing threats of climate change, overfishing and shipping traffic.
The treaty would place parts of the world’s oceans into a network of Marine Protected Areas. Environmental impact assessments would be carried out before allowing commercial activities like deep-sea mining to go ahead.
Disagreement over what should be included in the legal treaty also delayed it.
Some nations such as Russia and Iceland want fisheries to be excluded.
In March, countries agreed to have a final fifth session to try and sign the Treaty – with a deadline set for the end of the year.
Should this not happen, an EU spokesperson told the BBC it was still committed to the issue: “The EU will insist on the quick continuation of the negotiations.”
“Action is needed to ensure the conservation and the sustainable use of the Ocean for current and future generations,” they added.
At the end of the last round of failed negotiations, conference president Rena Lee said: “I believe that with continued commitment, determination and dedication, we will be able to build bridges and close the remaining gaps.”
Protecting the world’s oceans is also important for human populations as so many people rely on the seas for food, income, and leisure activities.
It is estimated that global marine ecosystems are worth more than £41 trillion, according to researchers at Plymouth Marine Laboratory.
