March 15, 2023

UN Ocean treaty will protect nature and livelihoods

topic:	Ocean Pollution
editor:	Bob Koigi

In one of the most historic developments for ocean biodiversity and sustainable use of marine resources, over 100 countries recently came up with a treaty that seeks to protect the world’s oceans that lie outside national territories. 

The landmark international agreement, which has taken two decades of discussions and negotiations, comes as the world grapples with the unprecedented crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. 

Read our full explanation of the High Seas Treaty here

Despite making up over 60 percent of the world’s oceans, high seas have not received the attention they deserve. In fact, only an estimated one percent of such waters are protected.

This has exposed marine life to threats such as overfishing, illegal fishing, deep-sea mining and oil and gas drilling which are hard to track and monitor. 

Yet the value of the ocean ecosystem to people and the planet cannot be overlooked. It provides half of the oxygen we breathe while acting as the largest carbon sink by soaking up carbon dioxide.

Ocean resources support the livelihoods of close to three billion people globally as the world ocean-based economy is estimated to be worth $3 trillion. This represents five percent of the global GDP.

That is why the high seas treaty could not have come at a better time. 

Among its main goals is to ensure international waters are named protected areas in order to achieve the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the world's oceans by 2030, as was envisioned in the 2022 UN biodiversity conference. It has established a conference of parties, Cop, that will have regular sittings while holding member-states accountable on governance and biodiversity matters among other provisions. 

To quote Stéphane Dujarric, the Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General: “This action is a victory for multilateralism and for global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health, now and for generations to come.” 

The real test on the implementation of the treaty lies in the member states’ commitment. Numerous treaties have been signed on the protection of coastal regions before. While some have recorded tremendous achievements, some are still unimplemented due to lack of political will. The onus is on national parliaments to chaperone the High Seas Treaty and translate it into national laws, while allocating resources to the relevant bodies in order to actualise this commitment, for the sake of people and planet. 

Image by David Troeger