Global Ocean Protection Hangs In The Balance As Critical UN Meeting Begins

Negotiations for a Global Ocean Treaty kick off again in New York this week, as UN member states meet for the final time to decide the future of our blue planet.

This Treaty is needed to provide the legal framework to create fully protected areas in international waters, and would allow 30% of the world’s oceans to be safeguarded from destructive human practices by 2030 - including bottom trawling and deep sea mining.

Without a strong Treaty, achieving the 30x30 ocean protection goal (which was committed to at the Convention on Biological Diversity last year) will be practically impossible.

Greenpeace oceans campaigner Ellie Hooper says this is a historic opportunity that must not be squandered.

"The ocean supports all life on Earth and its fate is being decided at these negotiations," says Hooper.

"The science is very clear. Protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 is the bare minimum needed to tackle the dual biodiversity and climate crises and avert catastrophe."

"We need this Treaty because the current system of ocean management has failed. Fragmented governance, where industry specific bodies manage their own activities based on their own interests, has caused this ocean crisis.

"Through this Treaty, we need the Conference of the Parties to have the power to implement fully protected areas without deferring to the very industry bodies that caused this crisis."

The UN negotiations, also known as Intergovernmental Conference 5 (IGC5) are the fifth and final round of negotiations to produce a Treaty. Talks faltered last August with countries failing to reach an agreement but committing to reconvening in 2023.

"Global ocean protection is within our reach," says Hooper.

"Governments must now work together, be bold and back a strong Treaty that puts ocean protection first.

"We urge the New Zealand government to continue supporting a strong, transformative Treaty - and work with other nations to encourage them to be ambitious - all of us are depending on them to do the right thing", says Hooper.

Almost 70,000 New Zealanders have signed a petition calling for a strong Treaty, joining over 5 million voices across the globe.

"The time to act is now. As we see the very real impacts of the climate and biodiversity crisis on our very doorstep - we must commit to turning things around.

"The ocean supports amazing and diverse marine life, mitigates climate change and provides the air we breathe. But for it to continue doing that - we’ve got to look after it. This month, I am deeply hopeful that we will."

The IGC5 talks will resume in New York on February 20 and finish on March 3.

Key points:

• The final negotiations for a UN Ocean Treaty resume on Monday 20 February 202 in New York..
• Without a strong Treaty, it is practically impossible to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 also known as the 30x30 target. Scientists say protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 is the bare minimum to address the climate crisis)
• This target was agreed at COP15 in Montreal in December 2022. Failure to agree a Treaty will jeopradise the 30x30 target just months after it was agreed.
• Progress on ocean sanctuaries was made at the last negotiations giving hope that a Treaty is within reach.
• A strong Treaty must be able to establish fully protected ocean sanctuaries across the high seas, free from activities like destructive fishing and deep sea mining.
• The Conference of the Parties (COP) created by the Treaty must be able to take decisions on all potentially damaging activities, including fishing, inside protected areas without deferring to dysfunctional sectoral bodies that only care about short term interests.
• The COP must also be able to operate by majority vote, not relying on consensus, to avoid single countries stalling or blocking progress.

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