Opportunities Arise for Nations to Improve Ocean Health

The ocean is the lifeblood of our planet, regulating climate, feeding billions of people and animals and teeming with biodiversity. Yet it faces unprecedented threats from overfishing, pollution, mining and climate change. As world leaders convene in New York City for the high-level portion of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly starting Monday, Sept. 23, there are five key opportunities for nations to advance toward a healthier, safer and more resilient ocean.

Landmark opportunity for marine conservation

In June 2023, the United Nations adopted the landmark agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of high seas marine biodiversity. The high seas treaty—formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement—provides a path to establishing marine protected areas and other tools to tackle the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.

The treaty requires ratification by 60 countries to be legally binding. To date, eight countries have formally consented to the new international law. Once implemented, the treaty could provide a powerful tool for achieving the global “30 by 30” target adopted by 196 countries in 2022 by advancing the establishment of protected areas in international waters, which account for two-thirds of the world’s ocean.

Tackling plastic pollution

Plastic pollution is a pressing global issue. Its rapid increase endangers human health, livelihoods and ecosystems while contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. In response, the United Nations Environment Assembly has established an intergovernmental negotiating committee to develop a legally binding international agreement on plastic pollution, known as the U.N. plastics treaty.

To meet its goals, this agreement must address environmental and human health impacts across the full life cycle of plastics, including its production, use and end-of-life management. The science is clear: Humans cannot recycle our way out of this problem. Instead, the solutions must span the entire plastic life cycle, with an emphasis on reducing plastic production and demand in the first place. Multiple assessments show that the world cannot achieve its goals of ending plastic pollution and limiting global average temperature rise to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius if the unsustainable production of primary plastic polymers is not addressed. Additionally, Pew’s 2020 “Breaking the Plastic Wave” report found that reducing plastic production and consumption would yield the biggest reduction in plastic pollution of any potential action.

The next – and final – round of negotiations are scheduled for November in South Korea, which could set the stage for the treaty to be adopted next year. Governments can collectively solve the plastic pollution problem but to do so will require an agreement that is comprehensive, legally binding and ambitious.

Moratorium on deep-seabed mining

The deep sea harbors an immense reservoir of biodiversity and helps to regulate the earth’s climate in ways scientists are only starting to understand. Due in part to limited knowledge of the deep sea’s intricacies, most of the scientific advice warns of the potential for deep-seabed mining to inflict irreversible damage on this sensitive ecosystem.

In the absence of effective, robust, science-based regulations, a growing chorus of countries, Indigenous groups, international organizations, companies, scientists and non-governmental organizations are calling for a moratorium on deep-seabed mining by the International Seabed Authority, the U.N.-mandated body tasked with overseeing deep-sea mining activities in international waters.

This pause would provide the scientific community with the time needed to better understand these unique ecosystems and the impacts of mining activities. It would allow for the development of an adequate regulatory framework and safeguards before any large-scale commercial operations begin, potentially preventing irreparable harm to these fragile environments.

Improving the sustainability of the world’s fish populations

For decades, harmful subsidies have fueled irresponsible fishing practices, depleting fish populations and hurting economies and ecosystems worldwide. Healthy fish populations are vital for thriving oceans, which in turn underpin strong economies and coastal communities globally.

In 2022, nations took a significant step toward addressing this issue with a historic World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement to curb harmful subsidies. As of August 2024, at least 83 of the required 110 countries had ratified the agreement. For it to be effective, countries must implement new laws, enforce regulations, monitor impact and support developing nations in compliance.

While the 2022 agreement will substantially reduce harmful subsidies once in force, it has limitations. It does not address subsidies encouraging fleets to fish in other countries’ waters, nor does it prevent overfishing and overcapacity within a nation’s own waters. WTO members have been negotiating for two years to create rules addressing these issues, aiming to incorporate them into the existing agreement, and there is growing pressure for countries to agree on those new rules this year.

Combating illegal fishing and saving lives

Worldwide, more than 100,000-fishings related deaths annually. But with the Cape Town Agreement – the only global agreement specifically designed to tackle the safety of the environment fishers work in – this situation could change. The agreement aims to provide fishers with the same safety measures and training that have been available to other seafarers, such as those on cargo ships or passenger vessels, for many years.

The agreement needs 22 countries with a combined 3,600 vessels to go into force. That threshold should have been met already: In 2019, 51 countries committed to ratify the agreement by October 2022. However, most countries haven’t followed through, despite the continuing number of fatalities each year.

Leveraging the power of international cooperation

Ocean health is inextricably linked to the future of the planet and the well-being of people. The challenges facing the ocean are transboundary in nature and require global solutions. Only by uniting and moving together from agreement in principle to concrete action can people and nature benefit from these solutions.

The upcoming U.N. General Assembly is more than just a meeting of world leaders; it’s a pivotal moment for the future of our planet. By taking decisive action on these five critical issues, countries can demonstrate their commitment to ocean health and set us on a path toward a more sustainable future.

Elizabeth Wilson leads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ environmental policy team.