Explainer-What is the High Seas Treaty to protect world oceans?
LONDON - While many countries have agreed to take steps to protect the vast, ungoverned swathes of the world's oceans, they have yet to see their High Seas Treaty go into effect. This week's U.N. Oceans Conference in the French city of Nice hopes to change that.
WHAT IS THE HIGH SEAS TREATY?
The treaty, signed in 2023, provides a legal framework for creating marine protected areas on the "high seas", or the ocean areas that lie beyond any national jurisdiction.
Currently, less than 3% of the oceans are under some form of protection, although altogether the world's oceans cover two-thirds of the planet.
The treaty contains 75 points covering areas such as protecting, caring for and ensuring responsible use of marine resources, and includes a provision for requiring environmental impact assessments of any economic activities in international waters.
The treaty also aims to ensure that all countries have fair and equitable access to the ocean's resources. While it is widely referred to as the High Seas Treaty, officially it is called the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty.
As of Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said 50 countries had ratified the treaty, with 60 needed for it to go into effect.
Separate to the High Seas Treaty, countries agreed under a 2022 U.N. biodiversity pact to put 30% of their territorial waters under conservation.
WHY DO WE NEED AN OCEAN TREATY?
Oceans support coastal economies and livelihoods through tourism, fishing, shipping, mining, offshore energy and more.
Oceans also absorb about a third of the world's carbon dioxide, or CO2 - the primary gas driving climate change - while ocean-swimming phytoplankton provide about half of the world's oxygen.
But marine life is now struggling, and human industry and development are almost entirely to blame.
More than 1,500 ocean plants and animals are now at risk of extinction, and that number is expected to rise amid ongoing pollution, overfishing, ocean warming and acidification, according to scientists at the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Additionally, new threats to ocean organisms and ecosystems could emerge in coming years in the form of deep-sea mining for rare-earth minerals. In Nice, Macron is expected to urge countries to support postponing sea-bed exploration while researchers work to understand deep sea ecosystems.
Scientists are also concerned about the possibility that governments could look to modify ocean chemistry to boost its capacity for absorbing CO2 - a scenario that researchers say could help to limit global warming but could also have unintended consequences.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE TREATY?
Macron's news on Monday of 50 governments having ratified the treaty means it is still short by 10 signatures.
The treaty will enter into force 120 days after 60 countries have ratified it. Work then begins on setting up institutions and committees to implement the treaty, while its signatories expect to hold a first conference within a year.
Despite its involvement in the original treaty negotiations, the United States under current President Donald Trump is not expected to ratify the treaty.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING AT THE U.N. OCEANS CONFERENCE?
Macron is co-hosting this third U.N. Oceans conference with Costa Rica, and with at least 55 heads of state, business leaders and civil society groups expected to attend the five-day event.
Aside from discussions to advance the treaty, delegates are also expected this week to discuss overfishing, water pollution and other threats to marine life.
They'll also be looking for fresh ideas on how to pay for it all - with ocean-linked financing lagging far behind other sustainable investment areas. For the five years spanning 2015-2019, ocean-related spending totalled $10 billion.
By comparison, the U.N. estimates that every year at least $175 billion is needed for marine protection.
The last U.N. oceans summit was held in Lisbon and co-hosted by Kenya in 2022. The next, co-hosted by Chile and Korea, is set for 2028. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Trump and Putin to spar Ukraine peace and arms control at Alaska summit
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Aircrafts sit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson ahead of a planned meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine, in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 13, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon MOSCOW - Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin hold talks in Alaska on Aug 15, with the US president's hopes of sealing a ceasefire agreement on Ukraine uncertain but with a last gasp offer from Mr Putin of a possible nuclear deal that could help both men save face. The meeting of the Russian and US leaders at a Cold War-era air force base in Alaska, their first face-to-face talks since Mr Trump returned to the White House, comes amid Ukrainian and European fears that Trump might sell Kyiv out. Mr Trump, who once said he would end Russia's war in Ukraine within 24 hours, said on Aug 14 the 3½-year conflict had proven a tougher nut to crack than he had thought. He said if his talks with Mr Putin went well, setting up a subsequent three-way summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - who was not invited to the Aug 15 meeting - would be even more important than his encounter with Mr Putin. Mr Trump is pressing for a truce to bolster his credentials as a global peacemaker worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize, something he has made clear is important to him. Ukraine and its European allies were heartened by their conference call on Aug 13 in which, they said, Mr Trump agreed Ukraine must be involved in any talks about ceding land. Mr Zelensky said Mr Trump had also supported the idea of security guarantees in a post-war settlement, although the US president has made no public mention of them. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Power fault on Sengkang-Punggol LRT line brings trains to a halt Singapore Owners call for stronger management rules in ageing condos, but seek to avoid being overburdened Asia Johor authorities seize four Singapore-registered vehicles over illegal e-hailing Singapore More families in Singapore using childminding and elder-minding services Life How do household bomb shelters in Singapore really work? Business US Treasuries a draw as yield gap with S'pore govt bonds widens, but analysts urge caution Asia Beijing-Manila row over collision of Chinese ships chasing Filipino boat a reminder of geopolitical risk The Aug 13 call eased their fears of a Trump-Putin deal that would leave Ukraine under pressure to make territorial and other concessions. Mr Putin, whose war economy is showing signs of strain, needs Trump to help Russia break out of its straitjacket of ever-tightening Western sanctions, or at the very least not to hit Moscow with more sanctions, something Mr Trump has threatened. The day before the summit, the Kremlin leader held out the prospect of something else he knows Mr Trump wants - a new nuclear arms control agreement to replace the last surviving one, which is due to expire in February 2026. Trump says Putin will do a deal Mr Trump said on the eve of the summit that he thought Mr Putin would do a deal on Ukraine, but he has blown hot and cold on the chances of a breakthrough. Mr Putin, meanwhile, praised what he called 'sincere efforts' by the US to end the war. A source close to the Kremlin told Reuters it looked as if the two sides had been able to find some unspecified common ground beforehand. 'Apparently, some terms will be agreed upon tomorrow (Friday) because Trump cannot be refused, and we are not in a position to refuse (due to sanctions pressure),' said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the matter's sensitivity. Mr Putin has set stringent conditions for a full ceasefire, but one compromise could be a phased truce in the air war, although both sides have accused the other of flouting a previous accord. Analysts say Mr Putin could try to look like he's giving Mr Trump what he wants while remaining free to escalate in Ukraine if he wants to. 'If they (the Russians) are able to put a deal on the table that creates some kind of a ceasefire but that leaves Russia in control of those escalatory dynamics, does not create any kind of genuine deterrence on the ground or in the skies over Ukraine... that would be a wonderful outcome from Putin's perspective,' said Mr Sam Greene, director of Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis. Land transfers Mr Zelensky has accused Mr Putin of bluffing and playing for time to avoid US secondary sanctions and has ruled out handing Moscow any territory. Mr Trump has said land transfers between Russia and Ukraine could be a possible way of breaking the logjam. Mr Putin, whose forces control nearly one fifth of Ukraine, wants Mr Trump to start reviving the two countries' shrunken economic, political and business ties and, ideally, not to make that process contingent on progress on Ukraine. But it is unclear whether Mr Putin is willing to compromise on Ukraine. In power for a quarter of a century, the Kremlin chief has staked his legacy on coming out of the war with something he can sell to his people as a victory. Chief among his war aims is complete Russian control over the Donbas industrial region in eastern Ukraine, which comprises the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Despite steady advances, around 25 per cent of Donetsk remains beyond Russian control. Mr Putin also wants full control of Ukraine's Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions; Nato membership to be taken off the table for Kyiv; and limits on the size of Ukraine's armed forces. Ukraine has said these terms are unacceptable and tantamount to asking it to capitulate. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
South Korea's Lee to restore pact halting military activity on North Korean border
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung delivers a speech during a press conference to mark his first 30 days in office at Yeongbingwan of Blue House on July 3, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. Kim Min-Hee/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo SEOUL - South Korea intends to restore a pact to suspend military activity along its border with North Korea, President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday, as his government seeks to improve ties between the neighbouring countries still technically at war. In a speech to mark the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Lee said he would restore the so-called September 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement. The pact was signed at an inter-Korean summit in 2018 and designed to de-escalate tension along the border between North Korea and South Korea. Pyongyang later tore up the agreement and said it would restore all military measures after Seoul suspended parts of the agreement amid a spike in tensions. President Lee, who won a snap election in June, has sought to re-engage Pyongyang after a period of cross-border tension and shown a willingness to return to dialogue. "Everyone knows that the long drawn-out hostility benefits people in neither of the two Koreas," Lee said during his speech in Seoul. Lee said South Korea had no intention of absorbing North Korea for unification and respected Pyongyang's current system. The president cited his government's efforts to lower tensions, including halting the launch of balloons floated by activists with anti-North Korea leaflets and dismantling loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the heavily-militarised border. "In particular, to prevent accidental clashes between South and North Korea and to build military trust, we will take proactive, gradual steps to restore the September 19 Military Agreement," Lee said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Power fault on Sengkang-Punggol LRT line brings trains to a halt Singapore Owners call for stronger management rules in ageing condos, but seek to avoid being overburdened Asia Johor authorities seize four Singapore-registered vehicles over illegal e-hailing Singapore More families in Singapore using childminding and elder-minding services Life How do household bomb shelters in Singapore really work? Business US Treasuries a draw as yield gap with S'pore govt bonds widens, but analysts urge caution Asia Beijing-Manila row over collision of Chinese ships chasing Filipino boat a reminder of geopolitical risk Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength In June 2024, former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a complete suspension of the military pact in response to North Korea's move to send hundreds of rubbish-stuffed balloons across the border. "I hope that North Korea will reciprocate our efforts to restore trust and revive dialogue," Lee said. Earlier this month, South Korea and the U.S. announced a delay in parts of their annual joint military exercises that have been a source of tension with North Korea. Top North Korean officials have, however, in recent weeks dismissed moves taken by Lee's new liberal government aimed at easing tension between the two Koreas. Lee would keep seeking to peacefully denuclearise North Korea through cooperation with the international community and dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington, he said. Turning to South Korea's ties with Japan, Lee said the relationship should be "forward-looking", based on pragmatic diplomacy focusing on Seoul's national interest. Ties between the U.S. allies have often been strained, rooted in historical disputes stemming from Japan's colonial rule over the Korean peninsula from 1910-1945. The South Korean president will visit Japan on August 23 for a summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, as both countries grapple with the implications of U.S. tariffs imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump. Lee has in the past been critical of efforts by administrations in Seoul to improve ties with Tokyo, though he pledged to deepen the relationship with Japan at a meeting with Ishiba on the sidelines of a G7 meeting in Canada in June. REUTERS
AsiaOne
2 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Turned back from Gaza, aid shipments languish in warehouses, on roadsides, World News
RAFAH, Egypt — Boxes of Gaza-bound aid turned back by Israel on Sunday (Aug 10) languished atop a truck and flatbed trailer parked metres from its border with Egypt, as exasperated drivers and UN officials criticised delays in sending food and medicine to the enclave. Seven aid officials and three truckers interviewed by Reuters listed a host of obstacles, ranging from rejections of shipments for minor packing and paperwork issues to heavy scrutiny over possible dual military use for a range of goods, as well as short working hours at the Israeli border crossing. The supplies seen by Reuters on Monday on the stalled truck and trailer outside Egypt's Rafah border crossing carried blue logos of the World Health Organisation and labels describing contents like topical medications and suction devices to clean wounds. A WHO employee working at the border said the cargo was blocked for carrying "illegal medicines". Reuters could not independently verify why the trucks were not allowed to enter Gaza and the Israeli military authority in charge of coordinating aid did not respond to a question about why they were not let into the enclave. Reuters visited Egypt's border with Gaza on Monday on a trip organised by the Elders, a group of former world leaders set up by late South African President Nelson Mandela that backs a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Some Elders members have been highly critical of Israel's conduct in Gaza, including former Irish President Mary Robinson and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who joined the border trip. Responding to international outrage sparked by images of starving Gazans, Israel on July 27 announced measures to let more aid into Gaza. But aid agencies say only a fraction of what they send is getting in. Israel strongly denies limiting aid supplies. Speaking to reporters at the Rafah crossing, Clark expressed shock at the amount of aid turned back at the border. "To see this crossing, which should be a place where people interact with each other, where people can come and go, where people aren't under blockade, where people who are ill can leave to come out — to see it just silent for the people, it's absolutely shocking for us," Clark said. 'Bureaucratic hurdles, delays' Approvals and clearance procedures that got a shipment through the Rafah border crossing "within a few days" of arrival in Egypt during a ceasefire earlier in the war now took "minimum one month," according to the WHO employee at the border. On Monday, the Hamas-run Gaza government media office said at least 1,334 trucks had entered Gaza through all land crossings, including from Egypt, since the Israeli measures announced on July 27, but this was far short of the 9,000 that would have gone in if 600 trucks had entered per day. The United States has said a minimum of 600 trucks per day are needed to feed Gaza's population. Reuters could not independently confirm the reasons for the delays described in this article or the specific figures supplied by those interviewed. Asked for its response to allegations of curbs on aid flows, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, COGAT, said Israel invests "considerable efforts" in aid distribution. It said about 300 trucks had been transferred daily in "recent weeks," mostly carrying food, via all land crossings. "Despite the claims made, the State of Israel allows and facilitates the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip without any quantitative limit on the number of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip," COGAT said. The agency did not address specific questions about aid shipment volumes. In mid-July, Israel introduced a requirement that shipments of humanitarian aid arriving from Egypt undergo customs clearance. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Israel's move led to "additional bureaucratic hurdles, delays, and costs for humanitarian organisations." UN agencies were exempted from customs clearance from Egypt from July 27 to Aug. 3, OCHA said in a report on August 6. While not officially extended, the exemption still appeared to be in place, it said. Other international NGOs could be exempted only on a case-by-case basis and only for health items. More than 200 Gazans have died of malnutrition or starvation in the war, according to Palestinian health authorities, adding to the over 61,000 dead they say have been killed by military action. The UN human rights office and several expert studies have said the number is probably an undercount. Israel has disputed the Gaza health ministry figures, which do not distinguish between fighters and civilians, and says at least a third of the fatalities are militants. On Monday, COGAT said a review by its medical experts found the number of deaths reported by the Gaza health ministry due to malnutrition was inflated and most of those "allegedly dying from malnutrition" had pre-existing conditions. A warehouse of rejected goods Drivers coming from Egypt cannot go directly to the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, which had been operated by the Hamas-run border authority but is now closed. Instead, they route to the Israeli crossing of Kerem Shalom, about three km (two miles) to the south, where shipments undergo checks. Kamel Atteiya Mohamed, an Egyptian truck driver, estimated that of the 200 or 300 trucks trying to get through this route every day, only 30 to 50 make it. "They tell you, for example, that the pallet doesn't have a sticker, the pallet is tilted, or the pallet is open from the top. This is no reason for us to return it," he told Reuters. He said that while the Egyptian crossing was open day and night, drivers often arrived at Kerem Shalom only to find it closed, as it does not normally operate beyond weekday business hours. "Every day it's like this," he said. "Honestly, we're fed up." While COGAT did not address specific questions about the driver's remarks and allegations of inflexible working hours, it said that "hundreds of truckloads of aid still await collection by the UN and international organisations" on the Palestinian side of the border crossings. A logistics site set up by the Egyptian Red Crescent near El Arish town, 40km from the border, where shipments coming from Egypt to Gaza are loaded, has a tarp tent warehouse devoted to goods turned back from the border. A Reuters reporter saw rows of white oxygen tanks, as well as wheelchairs, car tires and cartons labelled as containing generators and first-aid kits and with logos of aid groups from countries such as Luxembourg and Kuwait, among others. Reuters was not able to verify when the items at the Red Crescent site were turned back or on what grounds. Aid workers describe such rejections as routine. Speaking at the meeting with the Elders that Reuters attended, one World Food Programme worker said that only 73 of the 400 trucks the agency had sent since July 27 had made it in. UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA has not been allowed to send aid into Gaza since March. The OCHA August 6 report said no shelter materials had been allowed to enter Gaza since March 2 and those available on the local market were "prohibitively expensive and limited in quantity." The WHO employee who works on the border said the truck and trailer seen by Reuters were among three trucks that had been turned back on Sunday. A manifest given for their cargo, seen by Reuters, included urine drainage bags, iodine, plasters and sutures. [[nid:721372]]
