A new round of negotiations on the much-awaited United Nations High Seas Treaty for conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction Although the origins of the proposed treaty go back to 2002, the initial negotiations began in 2018.
The high seas are regions that lie outside of the exclusive economic zones of littoral states, which have a 200 nautical mile boundary. According to experts, the high waters make up more than two thirds of the world's ocean and are home to about 270,000 species. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, at least 41% of marine species are threatened by climate change, and over 1,550 aquatic creatures and plants are at risk of going extinct.