UNITED NATIONS: UN member states on Saturday agreed to begin negotiations on a treaty to protect marine biodiversity in ocean areas extending beyond territorial waters, in a move heralded by environmental organisations.

By calling to preserve vast areas threatened by pollution, overfishing and global warming, the eventual UN treaty would be the first to specifically address protection of marine life.

But the agreement was reached only after a small group of countries engaged in fishing and ocean mining blocked a more rapid timeline during the discussions between experts from the 193 member countries.

A majority of nations called for quick action but several countries such as the United States, Russia, Canada, Iceland and Japan expressed reluctance. The agreement was welcomed by the High Seas Alliance made up of 27 NGOs plus the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which called it “a major step toward urgently needed ocean protection”.

Published in Dawn January 25th , 2015

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