At the beginning of February, Spain became the first European Union nation to ratify the UN treaty on ocean protection. A major step in safeguarding the environment.
It took one, and it was Spain. On Tuesday, February 4, Spain became the first European country to ratify the BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) treaty for the protection of the high seas. Already signed by 107 countries, it is now ratified by 16; a total of 60 ratifications are needed for its implementation.
In practical terms, this international agreement aims to protect the high seas – that is, 64% of the ocean – by establishing management tools, particularly marine protected areas, to conserve and sustainably manage the vital habitats and species that live there.
When we talk about the « high seas, » we are referring to international waters, which do not belong to any country, and around which there exists a surprising legal vacuum, even though these areas are essential for the environmental balance of our planet.
So far, only fishing is regulated in these areas, and there is no regulation to protect biodiversity from growing threats: pollution, underwater mining, and other dangers.
An Important First Step
With this significant ratification, Spain joins a small group of pioneering nations, including Seychelles, Palau, Monaco, Micronesia, Mauritius, Chile, Cuba, Belize, Bangladesh, Barbados, Maldives, Panama, Saint Lucia, Singapore, and East Timor.
The implementation of this treaty is crucial to achieving the « 30×30 goal » (to protect 30% of the oceans and lands by 2030), to which countries of the world committed at the end of 2022 during the Montreal Biodiversity Summit. Currently, only 1% of the high seas is protected.
A figure that Spain and other pioneering countries hope will change quickly. All hope that by June 2025, the treaty will reach the 60 ratifications needed: this is the date of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, which could be decisive for the future of the blue planet.
Source: equinoxmagazine
