Portugal will aim to be at the forefront of the ratification and implementation of the treaty on the protection of the high seas, Portuguese Ambassador to the UN Ana Paula Zacarias said on Tuesday in an interview with Lusa about the historic agreement reached on Monday.
“The adoption of the High Seas Treaty represents a historic moment for multilateralism and ocean governance,” said the diplomat, who on Monday defended at the United Nations (UN) a swift ratification of the agreement.
According to Ana Paula Zacarias, “Portugal will strive to be at the forefront of its ratification and full implementation, including by supporting capacity building in developing countries.”
The UN adopted on Monday the first treaty for the protection of the high seas, a historic agreement reached after years of debate and negotiation, which will allow the creation of marine protected areas in international waters.
The text, which was finalized after a long negotiating process, was formally approved in New York after being revised and translated into the six official languages of the United Nations.
The adoption took place by consensus, without the need for a vote, and was greeted with thunderous applause from government representatives, who celebrated the end of a long process.
While Monday’s decision puts an end to UN negotiations, the new treaty will not enter into force until at least 60 countries have signed and ratified it.
The text will be open for signature at United Nations Headquarters from September 20, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres asked governments not to delay.
Guterres praised the adoption of the agreement, calling it a demonstration of the power of multilateralism.
“By acting to combat threats to our planet that transcend national borders, you have demonstrated that global threats deserve global action and that nations can come together for the common good,” he added.
Building on the legacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, this agreement significantly strengthens the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Environmental groups have insisted for years that this treaty is vital to saving the oceans, which are threatened by pollution, the climate crisis and new technologies that open the door to seabed mining and more intensive fishing.
The high seas – waters located more than 200 nautical miles from the coast – make up two-thirds of the entire ocean and have so far been governed by a series of international agreements and organizations with no clear jurisdiction, no special coordination, and inadequate rules for your protection.
Among other things, the new treaty lays the groundwork for the creation of marine protected areas, which should help meet the international obligation to protect at least 30% of the oceans by 2030.
In addition, it ensures that the environmental impact of activities in international waters is taken into account and promotes cooperation between countries in the field of marine technology.
It also creates a framework for sharing the benefits of the sea, especially anything related to marine genetic resources – species that may provide patentable genes in the future, for example for medical purposes.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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