Spain has ratified on Tuesday at the UN Headquarters in New York, known as ‘overall ocean treaty’, whereby the international community promised to protect biodiversity in international waters, that today are mostly unprotected. Spain thus becomes the first country in the European Union to ratify it, although the rest of the community countries will also be done.
The agreement, adopted in June 2023 by more than a hundred countries, establishes a legal framework for all activities in the ocean and seas in international jurisdiction waters, that is, those that go beyond 200 nautical miles from The coast. Regulates Human activities on the high seasallows its protection through the designation of protected marine areas and establishes the distribution of benefits from marine genetic resources. It also contains rules to perform environmental impact assessments before human activities are carried out on the high seas.
Specifically, the agreement was aimed atECLARARAR PROTECTED AREA 30% OF THE SURFACE from high seas before 2030. It is currently only protected around 1%. And it is essential because these international waters suppose up to 64% of the ocean.
“Today the oceans have huge pressures,” explained the minister for ecological transition, Sara Aagesen in an act where she has announced the ratification. It is not only pollution. There is also acidification due to the increase in carbon dioxide, overfishing or underwater mining challenge.
However, for the entry into force of the treaty it is needed The ratification of 60 countriesafter having achieved the approval of their respective parliaments, something that for now have only executed about fifteen states. “Need that all countries join and that enters into force as soon as possible, “Aagesen said. The idea of the European Union is to gather that figure for the United Nations Conference on the Ocean that will be held in Nice in early June.
At the national level, there are already 21% of the marine surface under some environmental protection figure, Aagesen explained. “This year we want to reach 25% and 30% in 2030”.
Report an error
#Spain #ratifies #global #treaty #protect #international #waters