The oceans have to wait a little longer for a deal to safeguard them. After two weeks of talks, the meeting at the United Nations ended without a conclusion on Friday, and participants left with the expectation that a final agreement may be reached soon. In New York that evening, negotiators decided to pause and seek more time to close the international accord that has been under discussion since 2018. The fifth and final negotiating round was suspended and will resume on an undetermined date. Rena Lee, who chairs the conference, announced the pause after several sessions where positions shifted at the last minute, with both sides exploring potential compromises. She said the team is closer to the goal than ever before, but some time is still needed to finish the process.
more delay
The agreement being negotiated by governments worldwide aims to conserve and sustainably use marine areas beyond national jurisdiction, commonly known as the high seas. Environmental groups view this instrument as crucial for protecting the oceans’ future and have pressed for years to secure its adoption. Yet delays continue to pile up.
Formal talks began in 2018 with the original target to reach a deal by 2020, a timeline pushed back by the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted the process. The aim shifted to 2022, a schedule that grew even more challenging after the latest round failed, though not ruled out entirely.
According to Greenpeace, failing to adopt an agreement this year would make it very difficult to hit the target of protecting 30 percent of ocean areas by 2030 and to allow marine ecosystems to recover from mounting pressures.
Experts identify pollution, climate change, and the advent of new technologies that enable mining and intensified bottom fishing as the major threats to the high seas, which cover about two-thirds of the world’s oceans.
important developments
Even though the fifth round did not produce a final deal, most delegations and non-governmental organizations emphasized the progress made in recent hours and expressed cautious optimism as the talks continued.
Liz Karan, director of the Pew Charitable Trusts oceans program, noted that while the outcome was not ideal, there is momentum. She urged delegates to keep up the pace and aim to complete the agreement in the ongoing conference sessions later this year.
Gladys Martínez, executive director of the Inter-American Association for the Environment, highlighted the visible advances and stressed the hope that the text will enable the creation of marine protected areas, robust environmental impact assessment standards, and fair access to marine resources, including the governance of genetic resources and associated technologies.
Greenpeace points to marine genetic resources as a central point in the negotiations, with stakeholders weighing potential patents and future medical uses against shared benefits. The organization criticizes wealthy countries for prioritizing profits over compromise and notes Russia as a barrier. It also identifies Pacific island nations and Caribbean states as leaders in pushing the agreement forward.