IN MARCH, UNITED NATIONS member states settled on an international legal framework to protect areas of open -ocean- the High Seas Treaty. This came hot on the heels of a decision in December last year by the world's governments to endorse the groundbreaking 30x30 target, which seeks protection of 30 per cent of the planet's land and oceans by 2030 (see Earth View, AG 173).
Several decades in the making, the High Seas Treaty will allow Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to be created beyond national oceanic boundaries. Despite receiving little publicity in the press, the treaty will be crucial in stemming global biodiversity decline. Environmental groups say it will be the essential next step if we are to have any hope of hitting the 30x30 target.
This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Australian Geographic Magazine.
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This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Australian Geographic Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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