A Game Changer for the Ocean?

A proposed treaty is being developed under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which define nations' rights and responsibilities for use of the world's oceans. The treaty addresses the “areas beyond national jurisdiction”, the “high seas” that begin 200 miles off the coast. Over the years it has become obvious that some gaps in UNCLOS have left the ocean's ecosystems open to ongoing and emerging threats such as chemical, plastic and noise pollution, overfishing and illegal fishing, increased shipping. deep seabed mining, piracy, and climate change which is altering both the temperature and chemistry of the ocean.

Figuring out how the new treaty would fit within more than a 20 existing governance organizations has been complicated. It was hoped that the negotiation session, scheduled to begin at the U.N. in March, would lead to finalization of the treaty's text, but the meetings were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the U.S. has been a participant in the sessions, it has yet to ratify UNCLOS Convention, widely considered a "Constitution" for the ocean, and is unlikely to do so under the current administration.

Nevertheless the new treaty has the potential to be a gamechanger for the ocean. It is an opportunity do something smarter and better for the ocean, for biodiversity, and for us.