Global Treaty Protecting World's Oceans Enters into Force

2 DAYS AGO·UPDATED 2 DAYS AGO

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Above: The Galapagos archipelago, Ecuador. Image copyright: Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

This is a monumental breakthrough for ocean conservation after two decades of painstaking negotiations. The High Seas Treaty fills critical regulatory gaps that have left two-thirds of our planet's oceans vulnerable to exploitation and degradation. With binding rules now in place, countries can finally establish marine protected areas in international waters and conduct environmental assessments for potentially destructive activities, such as deep-sea mining.

BBC News World Resources Institute High Seas Alliance

Narrative B

The treaty's effectiveness remains questionable without participation from major maritime powers, who could simply ignore protected areas since they haven't ratified the agreement. The pact relies entirely on individual countries to police their own ships and companies rather than creating any enforcement mechanism. Without universal participation, this becomes just another toothless international agreement that allows non-signatories to continue business as usual in international waters.

CBC Orfonline.Org Nature