Ah okay that makes sense :). I thought it was a bit strange.

What are their credentials? Perhaps they should apply to be scientific consultant to WWF and the IUCN?

It is enough. Even the most activist organizations like the WWF, GreenPeace and the IUCN are hailing it as a historic agreement - and they helped broker the deal. They say they were listened to in the treaty text.

30% is enough but it has to be the right 30%.

This is the IUCN on how it has to be the right 30%.

we-need-protect-and-conserve-30-planet-it-has-be-right-30

Some more statements to add to my previous comment

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND STRONGLY WELCOMES THE NEW TEXT

> NEW YORK CITY, United States (4 March 2023) – WWF strongly welcomes the
agreement of the text for a new global legally binding High Seas Treaty
reached by nations today in New York, creating a framework to conserve
marine life and restrain harmful activities in two-thirds of the ocean.

> “This is a landmark moment for the ocean – one that will usher in a new era of collective responsibility for our planet’s most significant global commons,” says Pepe Clarke, Global Ocean Practice Leader for WWF. “Last year, nations committed to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Today’s achievement is a significant step toward delivering on that promise.”

> WWF believes the Scientific and Technical Body set to be established as a result of the agreement will be instrumental in ensuring that proposals and management plans for marine protected areas are robustly assessed, and environmental impact assessment reports are received and made accessible to the global community. Alongside this, the Implementation and Compliance Committee will operationalise enhanced cooperation in a meaningful way, and a dispute resolution mechanism gives an opportunity for states to take action against breaches.

> The obligation on developed states to share knowledge and technologies, and to build capacity across countries will facilitate a more equitable participation in the conservation of the high seas, in particular for developing nations.

> “Ocean advocates worldwide can savor this moment years in the making,” says Battle. “But this is not a finish line. For the treaty’s good intentions to deliver results on the water, we’ve got to keep the pressure up. Once technicalities are worked out and the treaty is adopted, it needs to enter into force so that it can be put to work – all countries must quickly formally sign and ratify it into their own national legislation. Words matter, but our ocean needs action.”

> The high seas support crucial fisheries, provide habitats for hundreds of thousands of species and help mitigate climate impacts, with 23% of human-related carbon emissions being absorbed by the ocean over the last 10 years. The high seas and the wildlife that migrates through these waters will finally be afforded the attention they deserve, once enough countries adopt and ratify this agreement enabling the instrument to enter into force. https://wwf.panda.org/?7913966/landmark-high-seas-treaty-agreed

The moment it was agreed:

https://twitter.com/Duncan_Currie/status/1632209509354438658

> New York, 4th March 2023: Late this evening governments meeting at the United Nations in New York reached agreement on key substantive issues for a new Treaty to protect High Seas marine life.

> “Following a two week long rollercoaster ride of negotiations and super-hero efforts in the last 48 hours, governments reached agreement on key issues that will advance protection and better management of marine biodiversity in the High Seas,” said Rebecca Hubbard, Director of the High Seas Alliance.

> The High Seas, the area of ocean that lies beyond countries’ national waters, is the largest habitat on Earth and home to millions of species. With currently just over 1% of the High Seas protected, the new Treaty will provide a pathway to establish marine protected areas in these waters. It is also a key tool to help deliver the recently agreed Kunming-Montreal target of at least 30% protection of the world’s ocean by 2030 that was just agreed in December- the minimum level of protection scientists warn is necessary to ensure a healthy ocean. But time is of the essence.

> The new Treaty will bring ocean governance into the 21st century, including establishing modern requirements to assess and manage planned human activities that would affect marine life in the High Seas as well as ensuring greater transparency. This will greatly strengthen the effective area-based management of fishing, shipping and other activities that have contributed to the overall decline in ocean health.

> The issue of sufficient financing to fund the implementation of the Treaty, as well as equity issues surrounding the sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources was one of the key sticking points between North and South throughout the meeting. However, right up to the final hours of the meeting, governments were able to land an agreement that provided for equitable sharing of these benefits from the deep sea and High Seas.

> “It’s been a very long journey to get to a Treaty. We will be looking to the 52 states that make up the High Ambition Coalition to lead the charge to adopt, ratify and identify important High Seas areas to protect,” said Rebecca Hubbard. “

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZxVlUd6YpeUcyiFDEPxFr43GcqE9qPXI/view

Many endorsements here:

> Dr. Lance Morgan, President, Marine Conservation Institute: “Coming on the heels of the Global Biodiversity Framework, this historic agreement is a huge step towards ensuring marine protected areas in the High Seas and reaching 30x30.”

> Lisa Speer, Director of the International Ocean program at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): “This text provides the basis for protecting key biodiversity hotspots in the High Seas. We now have a pathway to achieve the goal of meaningfully protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030, a goal that scientists tell us is crucial to maintaining ocean health in the face of ocean warming, acidification and other impacts of climate change. Now let’s get started.”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZxVlUd6YpeUcyiFDEPxFr43GcqE9qPXI/view

What's with all the -ve comments here today:? This is supposed to be r/upllifting not r/collapse.

I recommend checking with reliable sources before reacting instead of just going by gut feeling.

The big news also is that they are making sure it is the right 30%. The IUCN wrote about that here:

TITLE: We need to protect and conserve 30% of the planet: but it has to be the right 30% https://www.iucn.org/crossroads-blog/202108/we-need-protect-and-conserve-30-planet-it-has-be-right-30

QUOTE STARTS

Between 2010 and 2020, the expansion of protected areas was biased toward locations that were remote and less suitable for agriculture, rather than areas of importance for species and ecosystems. As momentum to protect 30% of the planet’s surface by 2030 builds, Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are our best tool when deciding which places to protect, write representatives of institutions in the KBA partnership.

• G7 leaders endorse protecting and conserving 30% of the planet.
• President of the United States Joe Biden pursues a target of 30% protection by 2030.
• EU commits to protecting 30% of land and sea under new Biodiversity Action Plan.

These and similar headlines have been appearing in the press in recent months. There is growing support for conserving at least 30% of our planet by the year 2030 to halt biodiversity loss and the degradation of important ecosystem services, and move towards a nature positive future; whilst recognising and safeguarding the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, and their rights to land and resources.

The effectiveness of such a target depends on whether we are conserving the “right” places, but determining the right places has historically been challenging for national governments without standardised guidance from scientists and other conservation experts.

Areas are often designated as protected where it is convenient rather than because they are important for conserving biodiversity.

While a percentage target for protected and conserved areas is simple, measurable, and can help gain political and public traction; areas are often designated as protected or conserved where it is convenient rather than because they are important for conserving biodiversity. Protected areas tend to be created in remote places, at high elevations, and in locations that are less likely to be developed for agriculture.

Since 2010, protected areas have increasingly been created in places that are not sites of global biodiversity importance. If this trend continues, we will undoubtedly keep losing biodiversity even while achieving area-based targets. The solution is to ensure that plans to meet these targets comprehensively incorporate areas of importance to the persistence of biodiversity. Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are recognised as sites of global importance for biodiversity, and should be used to guide where protected and other conserved areas are established.

https://www.iucn.org/crossroads-blog/202108/we-need-protect-and-conserve-30-planet-it-has-be-right-30

That's been turned around with this new agreement.

The key points were:

• Effective conservation and management of at least 30% of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services. The GBF prioritizes ecologically-representative, well-connected and equitably-governed systems of protected areas and other effective area- based conservation, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories and practices. Currently 17% and 10% of the world’s terrestrial and marine areas respectively are under protection.
• Have restoration completed or underway on at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems
• Reduce to near zero the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity
• Cut global food waste in half and significantly reduce overconsumption and waste generation
• Reduce by half both excess nutrients and the overall risk posed by pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals
• Progressively phase out or reform by 2030 subsidies that harm biodiversity by at least $500 billion per year, while scaling up positive incentives for biodiversity’s conservation and sustainable use
• Mobilize by 2030 at least $200 billion per year in domestic and international biodiversity-related funding from all sources – public and private
• Raise international financial flows from developed to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition, to at least US$ 20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least US$ 30 billion per year by 2030
• Prevent the introduction of priority invasive alien species, and reduce by at least half the introduction and establishment of other known or potential invasive alien species, and eradicate or control invasive alien species on islands and other priority sites
• Require large and transnational companies and financial institutions to monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity through their operations, supply and value chains and portfolios…

Emphasized throughout the approved documents are the needs to foster the full and effective contributions of women, persons of diverse gender identities, youth, indigenous peoples and local communities, civil society organizations, the private and financial sectors, and stakeholders from all other sectors.

Also emphasized: the need for a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach” to implementing the GBF.

. Press Release: Nations Adopt Four Goals, 23 Targets for 2030 In Landmark UN Biodiversity Agreement https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2022/12/press-release-nations-adopt-four-goals-23-targets-for-2030-in-landmark-un-biodiversity-agreement/

As the IUCN said in that last quote, this builds on the historic agreement in COP15 in December between countries to protect 30% of their land, oceans, inland waters and coastlines by 2030, managing them sustainably. Importantly it recognized the importance of indigenous people and local communities, instead of giant parks with no-one living there they are living reserves managed sustainably. All the activist organizations agreed it was a good treaty including those that support indigenous peoples and forest dwellers.

This is the moment when the text was agreed at COP15 https://twitter.com/4Post2020BD/status/1631579529935241216

Indigenous peoples are responsible still for 1/4 of the world’s land area and 70% of the land they look after are either protected or very low human intervention. They were fine with the final text.

https://twitter.com/IIFB_indigenous/status/1604639385173229569

The International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity celebrated the “timely recognition” of Indigenous peoples and local community contributions, roles, rights and responsibilities to nature in the GBF. A statement from the group said:

“We have spoken and you have heard us, let us now put those words into action.” Carbon brief goes into more detail. For instance, another outcome. Developed countries agreeing to mobilise $30bn for developing countries by 2030.

. [COP15: Key outcomes agreed at the UN biodiversity conference in Montreal - Carbon Brief] https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop15-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-biodiversity-conference-in-montreal/) I

This is what the IUCN says about the COP15 agreement:

TITLE: IUCN welcomes the new Global Biodiversity Framework and 30% ambitions

The new Global Biodiversity Framework is now, finally, in place. The hard work continues. We must shift our focus to implementation. That means engaging from the grassroots up to the governance structures that enable fair and effective area-based conservation.

IUCN’s position ahead of the COP on the key elements of the GBF was largely realized. Target 3, in particular, heralds a paradigm-shift in the way we promote, recognize and support fair and effective conservation.

Target 3 calls on at least 30% of the planet under effective conservation by 2030. The target specifically provides timely recognition of Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ contributions, roles, rights and responsibilities to Mother Earth. IUCN echoes the praise that the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) confers on the text for its "strong language on respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities”.

This inclusivity will be carried forward by IUCN through a ‘Who Counts’ approach, including partnership with our IPO members and their constituents, to help countries identify and effectively conserve areas of importance for biodiversity – ie the ‘What Counts’ for the 30% by 2030.

In addition, Target 3 sits at the centre of a suite of inter-related targets. The links between Targets 1 (Spatial Planning), 2 (Restoration) and 4 (Species Conservation Action) are key to the success of the GBF. There are real and immediate opportunities for IUCN as a Union to connect species conservation and restoration Targets into the equation for effectively conserving and connecting areas of importance for 30%.

In particular, IUCN has a live opportunity to entwine and enlace our work on Restoration (30% of degraded areas by 2030 under Target 2) and on area-based conservation, across our portfolio and Commission expert focus. In addition, the contribution of area-based conservation to species and biodiversity recovery is of critical importance. IUCN’s leadership on protected and conserved area standards, good governance for area-based conservation, restoration planning, implementation and monitoring of conservation outcomes, and the global species action plan (GSAP) provide a key opportunity to engage Parties with trusted, clear and impartial advice on how to move ahead with implementation of the overall GBF.

IUCN is seeking to join forces with other partners to coordinate and convene dialogue in and between countries on how to implement solutions for the new 30x30 challenge. We look forward to working with all of you on our shared ambition for at least 30% of the planet under fair and effective conservation by 2030!

https://www.iucn.org/story/202302/iucn-welcomes-new-global-biodiversity-framework-and-30-ambitions

The four targets they talk about are here:

QUOTE STARTS

TARGET 1

Ensure that all areas are under participatory integrated biodiversity inclusive spatial planning and/or effective management processes addressing land and sea use change, to bring the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity, close to zero by 2030, while respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.

TARGET 2

Ensure that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems are under effective restoration, in order to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecological integrity and connectivity.

TARGET 3

Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water,and of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable,and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities including over their traditional territories.

TARGET 4

Ensure urgent management actions, to halt human induced extinction of known threatened species and for the recovery and conservation of species, in particular threatened species, to significantly reduce extinction risk, as well as to maintain and restore the genetic diversity within and between populations of native, wild and domesticated species to maintain their adaptive potential, including through in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable management practices, and effectively manage human-wildlife interactions to minimize human-wildlife conflict for coexistence.

QUOTE ENDS

There are 19 other targets, 23 in total.

https://www.cbd.int/article/cop15-cbd-press-release-final-19dec2022

This is GREAT NEWS. Even organizations like Greenpeace hail it as a historic agreement. They helped broker the deal and they say the UN and countries listened to them! It is brilliant news!

THE DEAL WAS BROKERED BY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE GREENPEACE AND THEY HAIL IT AS A HISTORIC DEAL

In this comment, I just quote from various organizations such as the IUCN and GreenPeaceNZ saying what a historic treaty it is and how good the text is - they were involved in brokering it.

GreenPeace New Zealand

QUOTE STARTS GreenpeaceNZ BREAKING

>Governments at the UN have just agreed on a Global Ocean Treaty! This is a huge win - possibly the biggest conservation victory ever! Here’s a short [THREAD] on how we got here and what it means...
>
>It’s a victory for the oceans and it’s a victory for people power. Over 5 million people have joined our movement to protect the oceans. The politicians couldn’t ignore our call!
>
>The treaty enables governments to set up sanctuaries across the global oceans- making it possible to protect 30% of the oceans by 2030, the minimum scientists say is needed for oceans and marine life to recover

https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceNZ/status/1632245206996389890

They link to this article:

TITLE What if we treated our oceans like they matter? - The seas provide half of our oxygen, and food for a billion people. Let’s give them the protection they deserve.

QUOTE STARTS

>These waters beyond national borders are home to creatures even morevaried than in the tropical rainforests. They contain the highest and longest mountain range anywhere on our planet, and trenches deep enough to hold Mount Everest. They’re the highways for whales, turtles, albatross and tuna on their cross-planet migrations.
>
>If the rescue plan goes ahead, it’ll be one of the biggest conservation efforts in human history, creating millions of square kilometres of new protected areas.

https://www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/story/what-if-we-treated-our-oceans-like-they-matter/

Then this is their comment on the treaty text:

QUOTE STARTS

>The agreement of this Treaty keeps the 30×30 target – protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 – alive. It provides a pathway to creating fully or highly protected areas across the world’s oceans. There are still flaws in the text, and governments must ensure that the Treaty is put into practice in an effective and equitable way for it to be considered a truly ambitiousTreaty.
>
>The High Ambition Coalition, which includes New Zealand, the EU, US and UK, and China were key players in brokering the deal. All showed willingness to seek constructive compromise in the final days of talks, and built coalitions instead of sowing division. Small Island States have shown leadership throughout the process, and the G77 group led the way in ensuring the Treaty can be put into practice in a fair and equitable way.

https://www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/press-release/historic-un-ocean-treaty-agreed/

World Wildlife Fund Oceans=

QUOTE: Absolutely!! Here's to a new era of collective responsibility for our planet’s most significant global commons 🌏🤝🌊

HighSeasTreaty #BBNJ

https://twitter.com/WWFLeadOceans/status/1632268890310082561

They are commenting on the tweet by the UN secretary general

>QUOTE: I'm extremely encouraged that countries have agreed on the UN legally binding instrument to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. This is an important step to protect our oceans. https://twitter.com/antonioguterres/status/1632250949870800896

Marine Alliance

🌊 The @UN have reached a historic agreement to protect the world's #oceans following 10 years of negotiations! 🌊

📜 The High Seas Treaty places 30% of the seas into protected areas by 2030, aiming to safeguard and recuperate marine nature.

https://twitter.com/MarAlliance/status/1632365390452989952

IUCN before the treaty text was agreed

[IUCN do the IUCN Red List of threatened species]

From safeguarding marine biodiversity to enhancing ocean #climate resilience, there are many benefits to a strong #HighSeas Treaty. https://twitter.com/IUCN/status/1631329892997447680

ICUN Ocean in their official statement about the treaty

@IUCN Statement on High Seas Treaty #BBNJ, which has just, finally, been agreed. With thanks to all individuals and organisations who have toiled for it over decades!

https://twitter.com/IucnOcean/status/1632373687759298560

TITLE IUCN Statement on the High Seas Treaty

>QUOTE STARTS
>
>UCN welcomes states finding common ground on the text of the High Seas Treaty in New York, USA on 4 March 2023, after years of negotiations.
>
>“The High Seas Treaty opens the path for humankind to finally provide protection to marine life across vast swathes of the ocean. Its adoption will close a significant gap in international law and offer a framework for governments to work together to protect global ocean heath, climate resilience, and the socioeconomic wellbeing and food security of billions of people. We stand ready to support its implementation,” says IUCN Director General, Dr Bruno Oberle.
>
>Although more ambitious measures will be needed, this legally-binding agreement marks an important step towards protecting the two-thirds of the ocean that lies beyond national jurisdiction.
>
>IUCN particularly applauds the alignment of the Treaty with other international commitments including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the creation of a special fund to finance the rehabilitation and ecological restoration of marine biodiversity.
>
>IUCN and its Members have been advocating for such an agreement for two decades and have been providing scientific and legal advice to negotiators since the start of the formal negotiations (in 2018), in particular on provisions concerning area-based management tools, especially marine protected areas. Commitments must now be implemented in ways that help address climate change and the many threats to marine ecosystems, and guarantee the critical benefits marine ecosystems provide to people.
>
>IUCN is calling for adoption and ratification to be fast-tracked, to bring the High Seas Treaty into force. The Union is offering its continued support to Parties and stakeholders to lay the foundation for a rapid, effective, and equitable implementation.
>
>https://iucn.org/iucn-statement/202303/iucn-statement-high-seas-treaty