Vancouver — The historic UN Ocean Treaty has been formally adopted by consensus in New York after the Treaty text was agreed in March 2023. Since then, the text has undergone months of legal scrubbing and translation into all of the official UN languages. Governments can now proceed to signing and ratifying the treaty to bring it to life at sea and start protecting the oceans.
The Treaty is a powerful legal tool which can be used to deliver 30×30 — the target agreed by all governments under the Convention on Biological Diversity in late 2022. It allows for the creation of vast ocean sanctuaries, free from destructive human activities on the high seas. However, first it must be ratified by at least 60 governments so it can enter into force and become a legally binding instrument.
Sarah King, Head of Greenpeace Canada’s Oceans & Plastics campaign, said:
“With the adoption of the UN Global Ocean Treaty, another important box has been ticked in the journey towards crucial ocean protection. Ocean life urgently needs world governments to promote biodiversity restoration, not exploitation, as pressure on ocean ecosystems mount and emerging threats such as deep sea mining loom. We need Canada’s leadership to ensure a successful ratification process in 2025, to keep the momentum going towards 30% protection by 2030, and to draw a line in the sand around some of the last untouched ecosystems on the planet and help stop deep sea mining before it starts.”
Chris Thorne of Greenpeace’s Protect the Oceans campaign said:
“This Treaty is a win for all life on this planet. Now those same governments which agreed it must urgently ratify and begin delivering vast ocean sanctuaries on the high seas. The science is clear, we must protect at least 30% of the oceans by 2030 to give the oceans a chance to recover and thrive.
“2030 looms large on the horizon, and the scale of our task is vast. Less than 1% of the high seas are protected. Millions of people from all over the world have demanded change and together we have achieved this historic agreement, but we still have a long way to go.
“We are committed to achieving 30×30. We will work day and night to ensure this Treaty is ratified in 2025, and ocean sanctuaries free from destructive human activities covering 30% of the oceans become a reality by the end of this decade.”
5.5 million people from every continent joined Greenpeace in calling for governments to finalise a Global Ocean Treaty. To make 30×30 a reality, governments ensure the Treaty is ratified by the UN Ocean Conference in 2025.
ENDS
Contacts:
Brandon Wei, Communications officer, Greenpeace Canada
[email protected], +1 778 772-6138
James Hanson, Head of Comms & Engagement for the Protect the Oceans campaign, Greenpeace UK
[email protected], +44 7801 212 994
Greenpeace International Press Desk:
[email protected], +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours)
We need Canada to stop deep sea mining before it starts. Join the campaign now.