UN treaty for ocean conservation lacks ratification; calls urge swift action from nations like Croatia.
đź”— Read the article on h-alter.org
[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]
The UN Treaty on High Seas, or Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), adopted as a historic agreement to establish a legal framework for conserving oceans in international waters, requires ratification by 60 signatory states to enter into force. Despite the European Commission’s assertion that EU members committed to ratifying it before the third UN Conference on the High Seas in June, only a few countries have done so. Greenpeace criticizes Croatia for not taking operational steps toward ratification, noting that despite repeated calls from the environmental organization since signing in 2023, no further information has been provided regarding the process. The BBNJ aims to enable joint management of about half the Earth’s surface and 95% of ocean volume, allowing for establishing marine protected areas and protecting biodiversity, addressing the current lack of protection (only about 1% of open sea is protected). While 112 countries have signed it, only around twenty nations have ratified it over a year and a half later. The EU has been a strong supporter, but as of early February, only Spain and France had formally submitted ratification declarations to the UN Secretariat. Greenpeace and other NGOs are urging acceleration of the process, with activists and scientists calling for immediate action from governments. Croatia, whose identity is closely tied to the sea, should have been among the first to ratify, especially since neighboring Slovenia completed the process in May. Other nations like Greece have not yet ratified it, though they plan to do so by early 2025. Delays are attributed to administrative issues or lack of prioritization rather than controversy. Both Croatian and Lithuanian government bodies have provided vague responses regarding ratification timelines. Despite EU-wide signing in September 2023, the ratification process is slow, with some estimates suggesting no EU member will ratify before the conference in Nice, contrary to the Commission’s goal. Greenpeace concludes that prompt ratification is necessary for the treaty to become effective and fulfill its role as a guide for conserving highly biodiverse areas and preventing harmful practices.
