India to sign, ratify High Seas Treaty

India is set to sign and ratify the High Seas Treaty, a landmark agreement aimed at protecting the world’s oceans beyond national jurisdictions. This treaty focuses on conserving marine biodiversity, preventing overfishing, and ensuring sustainable use of marine resources. By committing to this treaty, India joins other nations in a global effort to safeguard the high seas, which cover nearly half of the Earth’s surface. This move signifies India’s dedication to environmental conservation and sustainable development, ensuring that the vast and vital ocean ecosystems are preserved for future generations.

Tag: GS-3, Ecology & Environment- Biodiversity- High Seas Treaty

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Why in the news?

India has decided to sign and ratify the High Seas Treaty, a global agreement for conservation and protection of biodiversity in the oceans.
The High Seas Treaty, also known as the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ), was negotiated in March 2023.

About the High seas:

The high seas are the parts of the ocean that are not included in the exclusive economic zones, territorial sea or internal waters of a State.
- Water beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast of a country is known as high sea.
High seas are the areas of the ocean for which no one nation has sole responsibility for management.

Need for UN high seas treaty:

Ocean and biodiversity
- The high seas comprise 64 percent of the ocean surface, and about 43 per cent of the Earth.
- These areas are home to about 2.2 million marine species and up to a trillion different kinds of microorganisms.
Ocean and global climate
- Oceans are an integral part of the global climate cycle, and perform a range of ecological services including absorption of carbon dioxide and excess heat.
- Hence, this treaty is being considered as a landmark in the efforts to keep the planet habitable.
Unregulated human activities
- Climate change is already influencing, and is being influenced by, ocean systems, and is exacerbating the pressures on marine biodiversity from unregulated human activities.
- It is these specific challenges — a combination of climate change, biodiversity, and pollution — that the High Seas Treaty seeks to address.
UNCLOS and concerns regarding the biodiversity
- Though UNCLOS asks countries to protect the ocean ecology and conserve its resources, it does not provide the specific mechanisms or processes to do so.
- Hence, it is believed that the High Seas Treaty will work as an implementation agreement under the UNCLOS.
  - This is similar to the Paris Agreement working under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

About the UN High Seas Treaty:

The UN High Seas Treaty, officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) agreement, is a significant international effort agreed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Adopted in 1982 and coming into force in 1994, UNCLOS provides the framework for managing and using the world’s oceans and their resources.
However, it has limitations in protecting the vast expanses of ocean beyond national jurisdiction, which constitute about two-thirds of the Earth’s oceanic surface.

Key Provisions of the Treaty:

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs):
- These are designated zones aimed at conserving ocean systems and biodiversity under stress from human activities or climate change. Similar to terrestrial national parks, MPAs in the high seas will be highly regulated to promote conservation efforts. Currently, only about 1.44% of the high seas are protected.
Sustainable Use of Marine Genetic Resources:
- The treaty addresses the extraction and utilisation of genetic information from marine organisms. It aims to ensure that benefits arising from such resources are equitably shared without restrictive intellectual property controls, promoting open access to generated knowledge.
Environmental Impact Assessments:
- Under the treaty, major activities in the high seas that could significantly impact marine ecosystems must undergo environmental impact assessments. Results of these assessments are to be shared internationally, fostering transparency and informed decision-making.
Capacity Building and Technology Transfer:
- The treaty emphasises support for small island states and landlocked nations, enhancing their ability to participate effectively in conservation efforts through capacity building and technology transfer.
Creation of a New Management Body:
- A new international body will be established to oversee the conservation of ocean life and the establishment of MPAs in the high seas, ensuring coordinated global efforts.

Status of the Treaty: The treaty will become international law 120 days after at least 60 countries formally ratify it. Currently, 91 countries have signed the treaty, but only eight have completed the ratification process.