On Saturday March 4, UN member states ratified an agreement to protect the high seas, bringing 15 years of negotiations to a close. This measure puts an end to 15 years of negotiations and confirms the determination of the efforts undertaken at COP15 biodiversity.
International waters, or the high seas, cover half of the earth's surface and have until now been a lawless zone. Extremely coveted and exploited by all kinds of activities (fishing, transport, drilling, etc.), these areas are still very poorly monitored. This treaty will enable the creation of marine protected areas within international waters, which are currently protected to the tune of 1%, something that was only possible in territorial waters.
Despite the UN's commitment, many issues remain unresolved. Institutions such as the IAMF, the IPBES and the IMO (which respectively organize marine mining, industrial fishing and maritime transport), all of which are responsible for the degradation of marine environments, are not mentioned in the agreement. Certain concessions will be necessary to reach the target of 30% of land and sea protected by 2030.
