For the first time, United Nations members have agreed on a unified treaty (协议) to protect biodiversity on the high seas, representing a turning point for vast stretches of the planet where conservation has previously been held back by a confusing patchwork (拼凑)of laws.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea came into force in 1994, before marine biodiversity was a well-established concept. An updated framework to protect marine life in the regions outside national boundary waters, known as the high seas, had been in discussions for more than 20 years, but previous efforts to reach an agreement had repeatedly failed. The unified treaty, which applies to nearly half the planet's surface, was reached late on Saturday.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the finalization of the text of the United Nations Ocean Treaty, his spokesman said on Saturday. "This breakthrough, which covers nearly two-thirds of the ocean, marks the culmination of nearly two decades of work and builds on the legacy (遗产)of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," a statement said.
Nichola Clark, an ocean expert at the Pew Charitable Trusts called the long-awaited treaty text "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect the oceans-a major win for biodiversity". The treaty will create a new body to manage the conservation of ocean life and establish marine-protected are-as on the high seas. Clark said that's critical to achieving the UN Biodiversity Conference's recent promise to protect 30 percent of the planet's waters, for conservation. The treaty also establishes ground rules for conducting environmental impact assessments for commercial activities in the oceans.
Treaty negotiations were initially anticipated to conclude on Friday, but stretched through the night into Saturday. The making of the treaty represents "a historic and overwhelming success for international marine protection," said Steffi Lemke, Germany's environment minister.
