Chile and Palau have achieved a significant milestone by becoming the inaugural nations to ratify the groundbreaking United Nations (UN) High Seas Treaty, a crucial international agreement aimed at safeguarding the high seas. In a historic move, Palau officially endorsed the treaty at the UN headquarters in New York, setting a precedent for global commitment to ocean protection.
Rebecca Hubbard, Director of the High Seas Alliance, expressed optimism that Palau's initiative would encourage other nations to expedite their ratification efforts, emphasizing the urgency for the treaty to come into effect promptly. Meanwhile, the Chilean Senate, on January 17, unanimously voted in favor of ratifying the landmark conservation accord.
Estefanía González, Deputy Campaign Director at Greenpeace Andino, hailed Chile's decision as an accomplishment driven by the collective voice of thousands advocating for ocean protection. Once officially published in the government's journal, Chile will join the ranks of the 60 nations required to ratify the treaty before the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France.
The UN High Seas Treaty, adopted after nearly two decades of negotiations, holds significance as the world's inaugural international law mandating the conservation and management of marine life in areas beyond national jurisdictions. With over 80 countries having signed the treaty, the ratification process is crucial for its binding implementation. The treaty aims to address the vulnerability of the high seas (which cover over half of the planet) to overexploitation due to a lack of governance. By facilitating the establishment of high seas marine protected areas and regulating potentially harmful human activities, the treaty represents a vital step toward achieving the global goal of protecting 30% of the oceans by 2030.
Source: Frost, Rosie. Euronews. "High Seas Treaty: Palau and Chile first countries to ratify deal to protect international waters". https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/01/23/high-seas-treaty-palau-and-chile-first-countries-to-ratify-deal-to-protect-international-w. 23/01/2024. [Date accessed: 26/01/2024].
Edited by: Aditya Vinjimoor
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