Although accounting for almost half the planet and over 60% of the oceans, the high seas have long been neglected in the fight to protect the environment
The Palauthe small archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, is the first country to ratify the historic high seas protection treaty adopted last year, which was welcomed by ocean advocates.
Its official website UN which registers international treaties and their status clarifies that Palau on Monday ratified the treaty that has is signed so far from 83 countries after the opening of signatures in September.
“As the first country to ratify the treaty (…) Palau is leading the ratification race,” said Greenpeace’s Laura Meller.
By ratifying the treaty, Palau is showing its commitment “to restoring ocean health so it can continue to feed billions of people around the world and protect us from the worst effects of climate change,” said Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance coalition of non-governmental organizations.
“We hope that this ratification will motivate other countries to step up their efforts to ratify the treaty without delay and thus allow it to enter into force as soon as possible,” he added.
THE Treaty on the High Seas will be able to be set in force 120 days after its ratification by 60 statesa goal the non-governmental organizations hope to see achieved by 2025.
Why the Treaty is important
This treaty, which aims to protect marine ecosystems which are vital to humanity but are threatened by many sources of pollution, was adopted by UN member states in June after more than 15 years of talks.
The high seas begin where states’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) end, at a distance not exceeding 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coast, and therefore not under the jurisdiction of any state.
Although it accounts for almost half the planet and over 60% of the oceansthe high seas had long been neglected in the struggle to protect the environment.
The main tool of the treaty reached last year to protect it provides for the creation of marine protected areas.
Today only approx 1% of the high seas is subject to protection measuresbut in December 2022 in Montreal all the nations of the world committed at COP15 on biodiversity to protect by COP2030 30% of the planet’s land and seas.
To achieve this, the new treaty on the high seas is of immense importance, hence the insistence of ocean defenders to seek its rapid ratification so that it can enter into force as soon as possible.
Source: Skai
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