(VOVWORLD) - A new UN treaty to protect the world’s oceans was signed by 67 countries on Wednesday, another step in efforts to reverse the damage done to fragile marine environments by overfishing and other human activities.
 A Caretta Caretta sea turtle is released on El Burrero Beach after recovering from its injuries at the Taliarte Wildlife Recovery Center, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain, September 16, 2023. (Photo: REUTERS/Borja Suarez) |
The global pact to conserve biodiversity on the high seas was finally agreed in March and formally adopted by the United Nations in June. It is seen as a crucial tool to meet a target agreed last year to protect 30% of the earth's land and sea by 2030, known as "30 by 30."
Despite the nearly 70 signatures at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, the treaty needs to be ratified on a national level before it goes into effect.
The agreement will create ocean sanctuaries where fishing will be prohibited, and also ensure human activity on the high seas is subject to environmental impact assessments.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature estimates that 500 million USD in funding will be required to kickstart the treaty, and a special implementation and capacity-building fund could require another 100 million USD per year.