Latest news with #HighSeasBiodiversityTreaty
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘There are no rules on the high seas': Australia to play a key role on ocean protections
Australian mining billionaire Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest will seek to partner with at least three countries to help fund marine protection zones, in a world-first plan to bolster poorer nations' capacity to fight unsustainable fishing practices. Forrest will attend the United Nations Oceans Conference in France on Monday, where he is expected to hold talks with world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron. 'It's absolutely clear that the world fishing industries are in a race to the bottom, a race to make oceans extinct of life, and that is because it's a rule-less order [on the high seas],' Forrest said. Environment Minister Murray Watt said Australia would play a leading role at the talks, and announced on Sunday that the Albanese government would introduce legislation enabling Australia to ratify the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty. Twenty-eight countries have ratified the treaty, which needs 60 member states to come into force. The UN-led treaty seeks to protect vast swaths of ocean in international waters – covering nearly half the planet – from overfishing. Loading 'All Australians understand the importance of the ocean. It's at the heart of our national identity, and it connects us with our region and the rest of the world,' Watt said. 'Australia is a world leader in ocean protection, working domestically and with our Pacific and Indian Ocean neighbours to protect this precious and incredibly important shared resource.' Just over half Australia's oceans are in marine-protected areas, although only 22 per cent are 'no-take' zones that prevent trawling and other commercial fishing.
The Age
a day ago
- Business
- The Age
‘There are no rules on the high seas': Australia to play a key role on ocean protections
Australian mining billionaire Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest will seek to partner with at least three countries to help fund marine protection zones, in a world-first plan to bolster poorer nations' capacity to fight unsustainable fishing practices. Forrest will attend the United Nations Oceans Conference in France on Monday, where he is expected to hold talks with world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron. 'It's absolutely clear that the world fishing industries are in a race to the bottom, a race to make oceans extinct of life, and that is because it's a rule-less order [on the high seas],' Forrest said. Environment Minister Murray Watt said Australia would play a leading role at the talks, and announced on Sunday that the Albanese government would introduce legislation enabling Australia to ratify the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty. Twenty-eight countries have ratified the treaty, which needs 60 member states to come into force. The UN-led treaty seeks to protect vast swaths of ocean in international waters – covering nearly half the planet – from overfishing. Loading 'All Australians understand the importance of the ocean. It's at the heart of our national identity, and it connects us with our region and the rest of the world,' Watt said. 'Australia is a world leader in ocean protection, working domestically and with our Pacific and Indian Ocean neighbours to protect this precious and incredibly important shared resource.' Just over half Australia's oceans are in marine-protected areas, although only 22 per cent are 'no-take' zones that prevent trawling and other commercial fishing.
West Australian
a day ago
- Science
- West Australian
'Lifeline' for coral at risk of rising sea temperatures
Australian researchers are working to develop a coral that could be more resilient against the impact of warming sea temperatures. A study has revealed selectively breeding corals can enhance their tolerance, offering a short-term lifeline for reefs as ocean temperatures increase due to climate change. Researchers from Minderoo Foundation, in collaboration with multiple universities, have successfully bred heat-tolerant corals at Ningaloo. Ningaloo is a World Heritage-listed reef system off the Australian north-west coast that is under increasing threat from marine heatwaves and bleaching events. The study found selectively bred coral with at least one "parent" from reefs in warmer oceans had double the survival rate under extreme heat stress, compared to corals from cooler waters. It was the first successful demonstration of how selectively breeding corals could boost their tolerance to heat. Researchers wanted to see if small temperature differences resulted in corals with enhanced heat tolerance, principal research scientist Kate Quigley said. "Coral babies with at least one parent from the warmer reef exhibited significantly higher survival rates under heat stress," she said. The study signalled a crucial tool to help reefs survive in the short term, Minderoo Foundation founder Andrew Forrest said. "Of course, the only real and lasting solution to ending the destruction of coral reefs is the complete phase-out of fossil fuels," he said. "Coral reefs support the livelihoods of millions of people globally, provide critical shoreline protection and support more than a quarter of the ocean's biodiversity, but have suffered steep declines globally." In March 2025, World Heritage-listed reefs on either side of Australia bleached at the same time: Ningaloo in the west and the Great Barrier Reef in the east. Mass global bleaching that began in 2023 has spread to at least 82 countries and territories, impacting almost 84 per cent of the world's reefs. The study results come as the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) begins in Nice, in the south of France. Environment Minister Murray Watt will attend - his first major international engagement since taking on the portfolio. "Australia currently leads the world in the total area of ocean that is highly protected, but we want to go further," he said. "One of the key items for discussion at UNOC3 is the ratification of the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty, which provides greater environmental protection for seas beyond national borders. "At UNOC3, I will announce that Australia will introduce enabling legislation for the treaty in the spring sitting of parliament, with ratification of the treaty as soon as possible after that."
Perth Now
a day ago
- Science
- Perth Now
'Lifeline' for coral at risk of rising sea temperatures
Australian researchers are working to develop a coral that could be more resilient against the impact of warming sea temperatures. A study has revealed selectively breeding corals can enhance their tolerance, offering a short-term lifeline for reefs as ocean temperatures increase due to climate change. Researchers from Minderoo Foundation, in collaboration with multiple universities, have successfully bred heat-tolerant corals at Ningaloo. Ningaloo is a World Heritage-listed reef system off the Australian north-west coast that is under increasing threat from marine heatwaves and bleaching events. The study found selectively bred coral with at least one "parent" from reefs in warmer oceans had double the survival rate under extreme heat stress, compared to corals from cooler waters. It was the first successful demonstration of how selectively breeding corals could boost their tolerance to heat. Researchers wanted to see if small temperature differences resulted in corals with enhanced heat tolerance, principal research scientist Kate Quigley said. "Coral babies with at least one parent from the warmer reef exhibited significantly higher survival rates under heat stress," she said. The study signalled a crucial tool to help reefs survive in the short term, Minderoo Foundation founder Andrew Forrest said. "Of course, the only real and lasting solution to ending the destruction of coral reefs is the complete phase-out of fossil fuels," he said. "Coral reefs support the livelihoods of millions of people globally, provide critical shoreline protection and support more than a quarter of the ocean's biodiversity, but have suffered steep declines globally." In March 2025, World Heritage-listed reefs on either side of Australia bleached at the same time: Ningaloo in the west and the Great Barrier Reef in the east. Mass global bleaching that began in 2023 has spread to at least 82 countries and territories, impacting almost 84 per cent of the world's reefs. The study results come as the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) begins in Nice, in the south of France. Environment Minister Murray Watt will attend - his first major international engagement since taking on the portfolio. "Australia currently leads the world in the total area of ocean that is highly protected, but we want to go further," he said. "One of the key items for discussion at UNOC3 is the ratification of the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty, which provides greater environmental protection for seas beyond national borders. "At UNOC3, I will announce that Australia will introduce enabling legislation for the treaty in the spring sitting of parliament, with ratification of the treaty as soon as possible after that."
Ya Biladi
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
UNOC 2025 : Morocco to lead Africa's call for ocean protection in Nice
From June 9 to 13, 2025, the city of Nice will host the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), co-organized with Costa Rica. A decade after the Paris Agreement on climate change, this event comes at a critical moment. While the oceans, our planet's true lungs alongside forests, sustain life on Earth, they have never been more under threat. The oceans are bearing the full weight of human activity: overfishing, plastic pollution, rising sea levels, deep-sea exploitation, and more. According to the 2022 IPCC report, maritime transport, responsible for 70% of global trade, is also accountable for 16% of the greenhouse gas emissions linked to goods transportation. This sector poses a particular challenge to the food sovereignty of many nations, especially in the Mediterranean. The ecological emergency must now rise to the top of the global agenda. In this effort, France can count on the support of a long-standing partner: Morocco. Both countries, with coastlines on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, share a common vision, an ocean that is protected, better understood, and a catalyst for sustainable development. For several months, Paris and Rabat have been working together to prepare for the conference. International discussions will focus on three key areas: the protection of marine biodiversity, the financing of a more responsible blue economy, and the strengthening of scientific knowledge of the ocean floor. This last point will be embodied by the creation of an «Ocean IPCC», bringing together heads of state, researchers, and philanthropic leaders to monitor the health of the oceans. More than 2,000 scientists are expected to take part in the One Ocean Science Congress, where they will establish precise indicators, according to an official statement. Morocco also intends to amplify the voice of the African continent. On the sidelines of the conference, King Mohammed VI will convene a summit of African leaders, underscoring that Africa, often the first to suffer the consequences of environmental disruption, must be included in shaping solutions. The Kingdom will showcase its ecological initiatives, such as the upcoming Dakhla Atlantic port, designed to reduce carbon emissions. One of the conference's key goals is to expand protected marine areas from 3% in 2023 to 10% by 2030. The conference also pursues two concrete objectives: the implementation of the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty, adopted in 2023, and the creation of a €100 billion fund to support sustainable maritime projects. A Blue Finance Forum will bring together governments, private sector players, and investors to help turn these goals into reality.
