SebastianUnger researches marine protection issues and directs DenBereich governance of oceans at Institute of TransformativeNachhaltigkeitsforschung (IASS) in Potsdam.
After more than ten years of controversial debates launch United Nations (UN) These days in New York negotiations coincide with new agreements for protection of high seas. The subject is discussed almost unnoticed by public, but that does not change meaning: overfishing, marine pollution, Klimawandelund acidification is increasing Lebensraumimmer of this year, which has been created for millions of years. Until 2020, United Nations wants to agree on international verbindlicheRegelungen for protection and sustainable use.
The high seas, which accounts for almost two-thirds of ocean, liegtaußerhalb jurisdiction of States. It is hardly protected by international Abkommenbisher. If exploitation of seas has so far tended to concentrate on dieKüsten, open ocean is now increasingly being fished and opened up for AndereNutzungen. New dangers are also threatened by deep-sea mining industry: 28 reconnaissance licences have already been awarded by competent UN seabed Authority worldwide. The mineral resources of seabed can be used to exampleof production of batteries for electric cars or mobile phones.
Barely explored areaBack which swept is spending much more money on space research than on Erkundungdes ocean. The Meeresgebietebisher of up to eleven kilometers deep are barely explored – only five percent of seabed is mapped – but it is becoming increasingly clear that y not only harbor a large part of derglobalen biodiversity, but also have a central role in Climate regulation. The ocean absorbs a significant portion of man-made carbon dioxide and almost all extra heat. Ocean currents also dieKüsten directly connected to open ocean.
But it is also becoming clear: currents serve not only fish swarms and or species such as whales undSchildkröten as migration corridors, but y also distribute Plastikmüllund or land-born pollution. Marine researchers and conservationists, as well as nature conservationists, have long been calling for a comprehensive and legally binding agreement to better protect empfindlichenÖkosysteme in sea.
30 percent of ocean surface should be protectedDahersoll is now creating a large network of marine protected areas on Hanson. The UN wants to have at least 10 per cent of ocean as a marine protected area by 2020 worldwide. Many marine scientists even demand at least thirty percent for eineneffektiven protection of marine biodiversity. Vonbeiden goals are far away: so far, only four percent have been achieved worldwide, especially within territorial waters of coastal States. Marine protected areas are an exception so far on high seas. In particular, States of EU, New Zealand, Australia and many Pacific states want to change this with Demneuen agreements. InsbesondereFischereinationen, such as Iceland, Japan, Russia and South Korea, Fordernjedoch that ir uses are exempt from new protection agreement. Then Aberhätten marine reserves have little positive consequences for sea.
The fragmentation of responsibilities must be changed. The Präambeldes of International Convention on Law of Sea, "Constitution of oceans", states that " problems of maritime area must be closely linked undals whole". But so far, shipping, Fischereioder deep-sea mining is regulated separately. The many competent institutions hardly stimmensich among mselves. It even lacks a holistic view of VonUmweltauswirkungen.
Date Of Update: 19 April 2018, 12:02
