Turning the Tide Newsletter – Summer 2024
High Seas Treaty
Australia became a founding signatory of the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty last September.
The Treaty will enable the establishment of marine protected areas in the high seas, which are critically important to protect our global marine life and build resilience in the face of climate change.
This paves the way for meaningful protection of the high seas which make up nearly two-thirds of the global oceans, yet less than one percent of this enormous area is currently highly protected.
These vast areas of our blue planet that lie beyond the maritime boundaries of any country support abundant fisheries, serve as migratory routes for species such as whales and sharks, and support remarkable ecosystems such as deep-water corals and other marine life.
A network of marine protected areas in the high seas is critical to meeting global commitments to protect at least 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030.
What is ’30 by 30′?
‘30 by 30’ is a global goal to protect 30 percent of both land and sea areas by 2030. It is an international agreement aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss while reorienting nature on a path to recovery.