The high seas, vast stretches of ocean beyond any single nation’s control, cover about two-thirds of the world’s oceans and nearly half of the planet’s surface. Until recently, these waters lacked clear, enforceable rules for conservation.
That changed this year with the adoption of the United Nations High Seas Treaty, a landmark agreement designed to protect biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The treaty creates a global process for conserving marine life in what are often described as the planet’s last largely unregulated waters.
Jane Lubchenco, a distinguished professor at Oregon State University and a world-renowned marine scientist, played a key role in shaping the science behind the agreement. Lubchenco is the senior author of the influential "MPA Guide," which outlines best practices for designing marine protected areas (MPAs).
She said the high seas are home to “phenomenal biodiversity,” but face growing pressure from declining fish stocks, interest in deep-sea mining and emerging technologies that target what's often referred to as the ocean’s “twilight zone," the vast, dimly lit region just beyond the reach of sunlight.
“The real rationale for the treaty was, one, ocean biodiversity is under threat, and two, it’s the common heritage of all people,” Lubchenco said.
How science helped shape the High Seas Treaty
Negotiations over the treaty stretched on for nearly 20 years, in part because of disagreements over how to protect the high seas without disrupting existing shipping and fishing authorities.
Lubchenco said her research helped demonstrate that marine protected areas can be highly effective when designed correctly. That includes more than drawing boundaries on a map, she said.
“The level of protection matters," said Lubchenco, "But also the social conditions under which the MPA was created matter a lot.”
The treaty centers on four main components: creating marine protected areas on the high seas, requiring environmental impact assessments for certain activities, sharing marine genetic resources more equitably, and strengthening scientific capacity worldwide.
The treaty, signed by 145 United Nations member states, is widely seen as a major step forward for international cooperation and conservation, offering a framework to protect the global commons for future generations.
Guest
- Jane Lubchenco, professor of integrative biology at Oregon State University
