COLOMBIA : Governments call for ratification of high seas traty to Curb Biodiversity crisis

28 Octobre 2024

LIBREVILLE, October 28 (Infosplusgabon) -  Governments and ocean leaders meeting at the UN global nature summit called on all nations today to address the biodiversity crisis by swiftly ratifying1 the High Seas Treaty and preparing proposals for the first wave of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the High Seas to conserve and restore marine life as soon as the new Treaty enters into force.

The call was issued during ‘Raising Ambition and Accelerating Action to Protect High Seas Biodiversity’, a high-level event2 held in the margins of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16).

“When discussing action to save life on Earth, governments must recognize we cannot effectively restore nature, stabilize the climate, and secure a healthy future for everyone unless we safeguard the vast international waters that cover half of our planet,” said Rebecca Hubbard, Director of the High Seas Alliance. ”To fast-track nature’s recovery, it’s imperative that all nations pick up pace in the #RaceForRatification of the new High Seas Treaty and accelerate action toward the first wave of High Seas MPAs now.”

The event featured announcements of the following new initiatives to support the early implementation of the High Seas Treaty:

A joint funding pledge of $51.7 million - the largest High Seas commitment to date from private philanthropy3 to accelerate the development of high-quality MPAs in the High Seas;

A new High Seas MPA Accelerator, a non-governmental organization-led multi-stakeholder initiative to expedite action to develop proposals to establish and implement protected areas in the High Seas by facilitating technical and scientific support for governments.

A BBNJ First Movers government collaborative, led by Chile and supported by Palau, the United States, and Canada, committed to fast-tracking the creation of the first set of MPAs under the new High Seas Treaty, with a  focus on priority biodiversity hotspots.

“The creation of marine protected areas in the High Seas is essential for preserving the ocean’s health and ability to act as a climate ally,” said Melissa Wright, who leads the Bloomberg Ocean Initiative. “This joint funding pledge aims to kickstart the development of proposals for High Seas MPAs and prepare the Treaty for their earliest adoption. With less than 2% of the High Seas currently protected, action cannot wait.”

The new High Seas Treaty - often known as the Paris Agreement for the ocean - is a critical piece of legislation to halt the biodiversity crisis by safeguarding nature in areas beyond national jurisdiction. It is a cornerstone for reaching the Convention on Biological Diversity’s target of protecting at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030 (30x30) - the minimum level scientists say is needed to maintain a healthy planet.

“With the 30x30 deadline looming large, all nations must swiftly ratify the High Seas Treaty so that it can enter into force in 2025, commit to High Seas action in their national biodiversity plans, and drive the development of High Seas MPAs now. Time is not on our side - we must be ready to stem the rising tide of biodiversity loss in our shared ocean as soon as the Treaty becomes law,” said Lisa Speer, Director of the International Ocean Program at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Today’s event celebrated the latest round of Treaty ratifications, notably by Panama last week, as well as the most recent signatories to the Treaty, including Madagascar and Cote d’ivoire. To date, 105 countries have signed the Treaty, and 14 have ratified it4. The ambition is to reach 60 ratifications by the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025. One hundred and twenty days after 60 countries ratify, the High Seas Treaty will become the world’s first comprehensive international legal instrument to mandate the conservation and management of biodiversity in international waters across the globe.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/HGB/GABON2024

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