Date: 14/03/2023

Relevance: GS-3: Economic Development, Biodiversity, and Environment.

Key Phrases: UN High Seas Treaty, Earth's habitable space, marine protected areas, climate mitigation, habitable space, climate mitigation.

Context:

• The UN High Seas Treaty, which will aim to protect 30 percent of international waters by 2030, was agreed recently in New York.

Key Highlights:

• The world's oceans cover 71% of our planet's surface and serve as the earth's largest carbon sink.
• They mitigate climate change by absorbing 93% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases and around 30% of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels.
• In addition, three billion people depend on its ecosystems for food and economic security.
• Less than 7% of the ocean is currently protected, and the high seas, which make up two-thirds of the world's ocean and 95% of the Earth's habitable space by volume, are largely lawless.
• The high seas accord, formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty, classifies 30% of the world's oceans as protected areas.
• This agreement requires environmental impact assessments for emerging activities and ensures that benefits from the use of marine genetic material are shared.
• It also enables nations to set up marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas, which makes protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030 easier.
• MPAs can be effective in protecting marine life, as a 2017 study showed that marine reserves in national waters have on average 670% more fish, as measured by biomass, than adjacent unprotected areas.
• Flourishing populations of marine life in MPAs also spill over into fishing areas, providing fishermen with increased catches.

Why Protecting the High Seas Matters?

1. The Ocean is BIG:
   • The high seas refer to the part of the ocean that is beyond any country’s jurisdiction.
2. Biodiversity:
   • The high seas are among the last truly wild places on earth.
   • They are home to bountiful marine biodiversity, including some of our most iconic and valued species.
   • They support habitat and migratory routes that serve as “rest stops” for whales, sharks, sea turtles, and seabirds.
   • They are also home to remarkable ecosystems, such as towering seamounts (think underwater mountains) and deep-water coral gardens.
3. 30×30:
   • Scientists tell us that it is critical to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030 (30×30) if we are to support healthy marine ecosystems and biodiversity globally.
   • Although thousands of marine protected areas have been established around the world, they cover only a tiny percentage of the ocean.
   • Currently, less than one percent of the high seas are in marine protected areas.
4. Climate Change :
   • Conserving the high seas through marine protected areas is not only good for biodiversity but also critical for our climate.
   • The ocean plays an important role in regulating our climate — absorbing carbon dioxide and excess heat from the atmosphere, regulating temperatures, and driving our global weather patterns.
   • Supporting the health of the ocean through marine conservation and the protection of blue carbon ecosystems helps ensure the ocean continues to serve its critical role in our climate system.
5. Declining Whale Population:
   • Unlike terrestrial animals, if a whale dies in the ocean, it pulls that carbon down to the depths, where it's stored.
   • In addition, whales help increase phytoplankton activity through the "whale pump" process, where they dive down to feed and then return to the surface to breathe.
   • Phytoplankton captures about 37 billion tonnes of CO2 a year and produces at least 50% of the oxygen in our atmosphere.
   • Wherever whales go, phytoplankton blooms follow.
   • Unfortunately, great whale populations have been diminished after decades of industrial whaling, reducing phytoplankton activity.

How can we protect and restore ocean biodiversity?

• Establishing protected areas: Setting aside areas of the ocean as marine protected areas can help protect vulnerable species and ecosystems from overfishing and other human activities.
• Reducing plastic waste: Reducing plastic waste can help prevent harm to marine species such as turtles and seabirds, which can become entangled in plastic or mistake it for food.
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions can help mitigate the impacts of climate change on the oceans, including rising temperatures and ocean acidification.
• Promoting sustainable fishing practices: Encouraging sustainable fishing practices, such as using fishing gear that minimizes bycatch.

Conclusion:

• The new Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty is a significant breakthrough in protecting the world's oceans and their biodiversity.
• The benefits of marine protected areas are not limited to biodiversity but also extend to climate mitigation, as healthy oceans play a crucial role in the carbon cycle.
• However, the implementation of the treaty will require continued dedication and focus from governments to ensure its success.
• It is crucial that protecting the high seas becomes a priority for nation-states in the coming decades to preserve the well-being of our planet and its ecosystems.

Source: Live Mint

Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the impact of human activities on the ocean's biodiversity and the steps that can be taken to protect and restore it. (150 Words).