The fifth round of talks, which began two weeks ago, was designed to establish a United Nations Treaty on the Oceans that would set rules to protect biodiversity in the two-thirds of the world’s ocean areas that lie outside territorial waters. But UN members have failed to agree on how to share the benefits of marine life, establish protected areas or prevent human activity with life on the high seas. “Although we have made excellent progress, we still need a little more time to move towards the finish line,” UN oceans ambassador Rena Lee said, according to AFP. Many hoped the New York session, which began on August 15, would eventually produce an agreed treaty text on “the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction”. But environmental activists, who noted that talks had been going on for 15 years, expressed frustration and blamed rich countries, including the US, for being too slow to agree. Among the issues delaying the treaty are agreement on a process for establishing protected areas as well as environmental impact assessments. “While progress has been made, particularly on ocean sanctuaries, members of the High Ambition Coalition and countries such as the US have been too slow to find compromises, despite their commitments,” said Laura Meller of Greenpeace’s Protect the Oceans campaign. Meller said some groups, such as the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean group, had pushed for the deal to be completed. But countries in the global north had only started working to reach compromises in the final days of negotiations, he said. “Time is up,” Meller added. “Further delay means destruction of the oceans. We are sad and disappointed. While countries continue to talk, the oceans and all who rely on them will suffer.” A Greenpeace activist takes photos of Brooklyn Bridge views of a shark caught in a net as part of a call to protect ocean marine life. Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images Greenpeace had warned on Thursday that the treaty talks were on the brink of failure because of the greed of the High Ambition Coalition countries and others such as the US and Canada. The issue, the group said, prioritized hypothetical future profits from Marine Genetics Resources over ocean protection. Meller also said Russia had blocked the negotiations, refusing to participate in the treaty process and compromise efforts with the European Union “on a wide range of issues”. Monica Medina, US assistant secretary of state, said her country remains committed to the goal of protecting at least 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030. “We cannot let the tides and currents push us back,” she said. Medina. “We must continue.” If the UN general assembly does not schedule a special emergency session to conclude the negotiations, the talks will not automatically resume until next year. If the body fails to do so, Greenpeace warned that “it will be difficult to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 – the 30×30 target that scientists say is the minimum needed to give the oceans room to grow.” recover”. The failure to reach an agreement comes after world leaders at the UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon in July pledged to do everything in their power to save the seas. However, despite encouraging calls to action in the final statement, no clear commitments emerged. “While it is disappointing that the treaty was not finalized during the last two weeks of negotiations, we remain encouraged by the progress that has been made,” Liz Curran of the Pew Charitable Trusts said at the latest round of talks. Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press contributed reporting.
