Historic UN High Seas Agreement adopted

"The ship has reached shore," said UN conference leader Rena Lee on Saturday during the gathering in New York. After 15 years the international high seas agreement of the UN was decided.

The representatives from over 100 countries sat together in New York for more than 36 hours. It is a historic agreement, because the oceans were at times almost a legal vacuum. In order for the requirements to come into force, 60 countries must first ratify the agreement.

What does the international high seas agreement include?

The agreement is intended to counteract the current pollution and shipping caused by growing shipping and, above all, to stop the loss of biological biodiversity. The project is called "30x30", which aims to protect 30% of the world's land and sea areas by 2030. According to Greenpeace, to achieve this goal we must protect 11 million square kilometers every year.

Federal Minister Steffi Lembke expressed her confidence: "Germany will press ahead with the implementation of this important agreement". Lembke was personally deeply moved by this "historic and overwhelming" high-seas agreement. By protecting the oceans, we should also be able to protect ourselves.

Historical cooperation with various parties

The UN spokesman finds the critical support from NGOs, civil society, academic institutions and the scientific community remarkable. "He looks forward to continuing to work with all parties to ensure a healthier, more resilient and productive ocean, profiling the current and future generations," was his final statement.

Csaba Kőrösi, former President of the United Nations Assembly, congratulated the delegates and Rena Lee via a Twitter post on the final decision. This is a huge success for multilateralism. An example of a change that our world needs and meets people's demand, he added.

Before the agreement can be formally confirmed, however, it is still subject to legal approval. After that, almost nothing stands in the way of saving our oceans. A revolutionary goal that promises a positive future for the oceans.