World’s oceans to be protected by new UN treaty in ‘monumental win’

Other disputes were centred around the exact procedure for creating marine protected areas and the model for environmental impact analysis of planned activities on the high seas.

Falling under the jurisdiction of no country, the high seas are defined as beginning at the edge of coastal nations’ exclusive economic zones — that is, up to 200 nautical miles from the shoreline.

Despite making up around two-thirds of the world’s oceans and nearly half of the Earth’s surface, they have traditionally attracted less conservation attention than coastal waters and certain iconic marine species, with only one percent of such being currently protected.

Oceans — which are vital for food, oxygen production and carbon sequestration — are nevertheless threatened on multiple fronts, from climate change, overexploitation, pollution and the prospect of deep-sea mining.

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Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1742485/worlds-oceans-protected-un-treaty-high-seas-monumental-win