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Time is running out - protect the ocean by supporting a High Seas Treaty

168,266 signed. Let’s get to 200K.
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Update: On March 3rd, 2023, UN member states finally agreed on a treaty to protect the high seas. At a later date, delegates will meet for half a day to formally adopt the text. Once this is done, at least 60 countries must ratify the treaty in order for it to be officially recognized.

Today, nearly half the planet is unprotected and vulnerable to exploitation.  

This ocean area that lies outside of any country’s jurisdiction is known as the High Seas and covers over 60 percent of the ocean. This global commons is critical to the health of the entire ocean.

It is one of the largest reservoirs of biodiversity on the planet and is a crucial component in several of the Earth’s systems and cycles, providing a multitude of ecosystem services. Many species, such as whales, tunas, sharks, and turtles spend much of their lives traveling along the highways of the High Seas to feeding, spawning, and breeding grounds. 

The bottlenose dolphin is a common sight in coastal waters around the world, but it also maintains large populations offshore · Jorge Cervera Hauser
From the biggest and smallest marine species to humans all over the globe, all life depends on healthy High Seas now and into the future · Jorge Cervera Hauser
Current levels of protection in the High Seas are nowhere near enough to conserve wildlife · Paul Nicklen
Blue sharks make trips of over 5,700 miles across the High Seas each year · Paul Nicklen

But despite its size and importance, only 1.2% of the High Seas have been protected, because it lacks clear rules to establish protected areas leaving its marine life vulnerable to exploitation.

Human-related threats include unsustainable and illegal fishing, shipping traffic, noise pollution, seabed mining, plastic and chemical pollution, and acidifying and warming waters as a result of the climate crisis.

Rare sea lions are among the tens of species at risk of being injured or killed by these huge driftnets · Howard Hall
Shawn Heinrichs
Howard Hall

Following nearly 20 years of discussions at the United Nations, governments are in the final stages of negotiating a new United Nations Treaty that would ensure the meaningful protection of ocean life found in this great global commons. This will be a key step towards moving the planet closer to the goal of protecting at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030, the minimum level of protection scientists recommend for a healthy ocean.

Add your name to urge your government and other world leaders to take action and support a strong High Seas Treaty and help build momentum by sharing the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
Supporters
2 days ago
Jocelyn E

I love the ocean.

2 days ago
Ella L

This is so important. These animals don’t have a voice, so lets be that voice for them.

1 week ago
Melissa A

this matters.

2 weeks ago
marcin b

our oceans, cosist most of our surface area of our planet. its important that protecting the wild life in our ocean is as much important as protecting our wild life and environment on solid soil. we need to make sure our ocean wild life eco system is not being left destroyed by dirty barbaric human action such us poaching and over fishing. We need a better protection of our oceans wildlife making sure we do not deprive any species of fish mammals etc; to the point of mass extinctions to the best of abilities, and this treaty is important as any other traties we have and gonna have in the future in order to help us to achieve achieve the oceans that we gonna be proud to live in.

2 weeks ago
Alison T

i love sea life

2 weeks ago
Goste C

make better enviroment

3 weeks ago
Juliana B

i want to help the ocean is getting worser and worser

3 weeks ago
Jessica R

I want to help protect the ocean

3 weeks ago
Kate S

I want our Planet and our ocean life to be protected.

3 weeks ago
Luz Andrea V

I care about the present and future of our planet!

3 weeks ago
Isabelle P

I've recetly seen the effect of neglect and abuse on the ocean/water and we don't have time to talk anymore about it, we gotta act now!

3 weeks ago
Océane M

we have to save them

3 weeks ago
Aarol P

Without a healthy ocean I truly believe it will be the end.

3 weeks ago
Julian G

if the ocean dies, we die as well

3 weeks ago
Amanda F

I want my kids to be able to know what these ocean animals are and to see what beauty the earths holds. We must stop killing wildlife!

3 weeks ago
hope e

i want to help the earth

3 weeks ago
Anastasia K

I am an eco activist

3 weeks ago
Roland C

i work in marine conservation

3 weeks ago
Dumitru Adrian P

whau

3 weeks ago
Lucy F

That physical space in our world will need extra protection one day

3 weeks ago
Terralyn A

Protecting the Ocean is important to me.

4 weeks ago
Annelise M

We deserve clean oceans and a healthy planet to live on.

4 weeks ago
Divya K

Im human

4 weeks ago
Judith S

The ocean is critical to all other life - it doesn't need to be trashed by large mine machines.

4 weeks ago
Anna E

i love my planet and my animals, i want to help! i see how our greed damaging our paradise and terning it to hell. please lets tern it back to our peacful heaven!

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