TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: On World Oceans Day 2024, the Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), issued a compelling call to action for the global community to support the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty.
EXPLANATION:
- Aguilar emphasized the necessity of ratifying the treaty to enhance regulation and protection of the high seas, which cover nearly half of the planet’s surface.
Current Status of the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty
- As of now, only seven countries have ratified the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty: Belize, Chile, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Palau, and the Seychelles.
- For the treaty to become international law, it requires ratification by at least 60 countries.
- Although 90 countries, including Nepal and Bangladesh, have signed the treaty, signing indicates a willingness to ratify but does not equate to formal consent.
Importance and threats to the High Seas
- The high seas are areas of the world’s oceans that lie beyond national jurisdictions.
- They are home to diverse and rich ecosystems, yet they are among the least protected areas on Earth, with less than two percent currently under legal protection.
- These regions are critical for maintaining global biodiversity and supporting marine life.
- The high seas face numerous threats, including overfishing, unsustainable fishing practices, harmful subsidies, and the emerging threat of deep-sea mining.
- There is an urgent need to regulate these activities to prevent the overexploitation of fish stocks and protect marine ecosystems.
Call to Action
- Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) urged all signing nations to receive support in the ratification process to bring the treaty into force.
- She emphasized that achieving the required 60 ratifications would significantly improve the regulation of the high seas through international law.
- This would mark a substantial step towards better conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.
Moratorium on Deep-Sea Mining
- In addition to advocating for the High Seas Treaty, Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining.
- This activity poses significant risks to marine biodiversity and ecosystems, and the IUCN believes that a halt is necessary until comprehensive scientific, legal, and moral assessments are conducted.
International Efforts and Statements
- The High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, was formally adopted by governments last June and opened for state signatures on September 20, 2023.
- The High Seas Alliance, a coalition of organizations dedicated to the conservation of the high seas, has been instrumental in promoting the treaty and urging countries to ratify it.
- On June 8, 2024, the High Seas Alliance took to social media to amplify director’s message, emphasizing the critical need for collective action to protect two-thirds of the ocean that remain largely unprotected.
High Seas Treaty:
- In 1982, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), was adopted, which delineated rules to govern the oceans and the use of its resources.
- However, there was no comprehensive legal framework that covered the high seas.
- As climate change and global warming emerged as global concerns, a need was felt for an international legal framework to protect oceans and marine life.
- The UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) decided in 2015 to develop a legally binding instrument within the framework of UNCLOS.
- Subsequently, the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) was convened to frame a legal instrument on BBNJ.
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN):
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
- Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
- IUCN’s mission is to “influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.”
- It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education.
- IUCN has a membership of over 1,400 governmental and non-governmental organizations from over 170 countries, and around 16,000 scientists and experts participate in its work on a voluntary basis.
- Its headquarters is in Gland, Switzerland.
