Words by Abi Scaife
A historic agreement has been reached about conservation, after decades of discussion.
Tell me more.
Called the High Seas Treaty, it aims to place 30% of the seas into protected areas by 2030. After 38 hours of discussions this week at the UN headquarters, the treaty was finally signed, giving protections to marine wildlife around the world.
What does the treaty say?
The agreement is all about protecting marine wildlife, and giving species of all kinds a safe space to recuperate. The last time there was an international agreement about ocean life was 40 years ago, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea which went into action in 1982.
These new agreed-upon areas will put a limit on how much fishing can take place there, as well as shipping routes and things like exploration and deep-sea mining.
If you’re interested in helping protect marine wildlife, you can do so by volunteering with or donating to the Marine Conservation Society UK.
