UN passes first-ever high seas treaty protecting marine life

Flags leading to U.N. building
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The United Nations has adopted its first-ever high-seas treaty "forging a common wave of conservation and sustainability in the high seas beyond national boundaries," according to a U.N. release. The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ) is legally binding and was signed by the 193 U.N. member states.

The BBNJ was signed "to prevent a cascading of species extinctions," especially in the areas known as the high seas or ocean regions beyond national boundaries, U.N. Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Oceans Peter Thomson told CBS News. Approximately two-thirds of the ocean is considered international waters. "This is critical to addressing the threats facing the ocean, and to the success of ocean-related goals and targets," added U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.

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Devika Rao, The Week US

 Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.