UNITED NATIONS OCEANS CONFERENCE (UNOC)
1. Context
The United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC) concluded last week in France, with 56 of the necessary 60 countries ratifying the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, also called the ‘High Seas Treaty.’
2. United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC)
- The United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) is a high-level global event organized by the United Nations to mobilize action and partnerships for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine resources, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14)
- The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) focused on fast-tracking efforts to safeguard the world's oceans. A primary aim was to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in parts of the ocean that lie beyond national jurisdictions, thereby curbing excessive fishing and preventing deep-sea mining in these global commons.
- In parallel, the Convention on Biological Diversity urges nations to protect 30% of the world's coastal and marine zones by 2030. UNOC plays a critical role in advancing this target by encouraging countries to adopt the BBNJ Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction).
- While 160 nations have signed the treaty, formal ratification—where countries align their domestic laws with the treaty’s provisions—remains a challenge. For the treaty to become legally effective, 60 ratifications are required, which would start a 120-day period before its enforcement.
- So far, 56 countries have ratified it. India has not yet ratified the treaty but has indicated that it is working towards doing so. The United States has also not ratified it.
- Once enacted, the treaty will lead to the creation of marine protected areas beyond national borders, introduce environmental impact assessments, manage marine genetic resources, and promote capacity-building for developing countries.
- The UN anticipates reaching 70 ratifications by September, aiming to hold the first Conference of Parties (COP) for BBNJ—similar to the annual COPs for climate change—by late 2026
3. What is the High Seas Treaty?
- The High Seas Treaty, formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty, is a landmark international agreement aimed at conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in areas of the ocean that lie beyond any country's jurisdiction.
- These vast stretches of water, commonly referred to as the "high seas," make up nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans and are often considered a global commons—shared resources that no single nation owns or governs.
- For decades, these international waters have remained largely unregulated, leading to growing concerns over activities like overfishing, deep-sea mining, and unregulated marine genetic resource extraction.
- The High Seas Treaty seeks to fill this legal gap by introducing a framework to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters. These protected areas would help preserve fragile ecosystems, allow marine species to recover, and safeguard biodiversity from harmful human activities.
- A key feature of the treaty is its focus on environmental impact assessments. Before any large-scale activity—such as industrial fishing or seabed mining—can take place in these high seas areas, its potential effects on the marine environment must be thoroughly evaluated.
- Another important aspect is the equitable sharing of marine genetic resources, which are often harvested by developed countries for use in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and cosmetics. The treaty aims to ensure that the benefits derived from such resources are shared fairly, especially with developing nations.
- Capacity-building and technology transfer are also central to the treaty. It acknowledges that many developing countries lack the technical expertise or financial resources to monitor and protect marine biodiversity effectively.
- To address this, the treaty promotes international cooperation to support these countries through training, funding, and the sharing of scientific knowledge and technologies.
- To come into force, the treaty requires ratification by at least 60 countries. Once that threshold is met, a 120-day countdown begins before the treaty becomes legally binding.
- As of now, more than 160 countries have signed the treaty, showing broad global support. However, only a portion of these have completed the ratification process. Some major countries, including India and the United States, have yet to ratify the agreement, although India has stated that it is in the process of doing so.
- Once enforced, the treaty will lay the foundation for hosting regular Conferences of Parties (COPs), similar to those held for climate agreements, where member states will meet to review progress, adopt new regulations, and ensure compliance.
- This treaty is seen as a historic step toward protecting the high seas, balancing conservation with sustainable use, and promoting global equity in ocean governance
| The most debated issue within the BBNJ treaty revolves around how to fairly distribute the benefits derived from marine resources. The high seas are home to unique and rare life forms, and although accessing them is technically difficult, there is still no clear agreement on how profits from their commercial use should be shared, since these waters do not fall under the ownership of any single nation. As the core goal of the treaty is to protect the ocean from uncontrolled exploitation, many environmental organizations argue that unless resource extraction is prohibited altogether, the long-term health of the oceans remains at serious risk |
4. Achievements of UNOC
- The main highlight of the event was a series of voluntary pledges made by various countries and organizations to support ocean conservation. The European Commission announced a funding commitment of 1 billion euros aimed at promoting ocean science, sustainability in fishing, and marine protection efforts.
- French Polynesia declared its plan to establish the world’s largest marine protected area, encompassing its entire exclusive economic zone—around five million square kilometers. New Zealand promised over $52 million to enhance marine governance, scientific research, and management across the Pacific Islands.
- Germany unveiled a pioneering 100 million euro emergency initiative to remove old military munitions from the Baltic and North Seas. Meanwhile, 37 countries, led by Panama and Canada, launched the "High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean"—a groundbreaking international effort to combat ocean noise pollution. Italy pledged 6.5 million euros to improve Coast Guard monitoring of marine protected zones and oil platforms.
- Canada committed $9 million to the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance, aiming to strengthen the climate resilience of Small Island Developing States and other vulnerable coastal nations using nature-based solutions. Spain announced its intention to create five additional marine protected areas, which would bring 25% of its maritime territory under protection.
- Additionally, a group of United Nations agencies introduced the "One Ocean Finance" initiative, a collaborative effort to mobilize substantial funding from blue economy sectors and ocean-based industries
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For Prelims: UN high seas, UN high seas treaty, UNCLOS, Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBJN), Exclusive Economic Zone, Territorial Waters.
For Mains: 1. Discuss the significance of the Treaty of High Seas and explain how to save our high seas from overfishing and pollution.
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Previous year Question1. Concerning the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements: ( UPSC 2022)
Which of the statements given above is correct? A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer : D
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Source: The Hindu
