In a move that shows growing awareness of the need to protect biodiversity in the high seas, a key international body overwhelmingly passed a motion urging the United Nations to finalize a treaty on this issue. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Congress Motion 126 urges nations to “expeditiously conclude the negotiations” for an ambitious high seas treaty at the earliest possible date in March 2022. Further, the motion calls on governments to finalize an international, legally binding instrument that will allow for the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) on the high seas, “including a substantial portion of which are highly and fully protected”.
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