Germany to sign global ocean protection treaty

Germany has decided to formally sign the global ocean protection treaty, the country’s environment minister said on Wednesday.“With this treaty, we will have the means to better protect the oceans,” Steffi Lemke said in a statement, following the weekly Cabinet meeting. She said the treaty will enable the establishment of marine protected areas on the high seas, where indiscriminate fishing and destructive deep-sea mining will be prohibited. International negotiations on the UN’s High Seas Treaty were successfully concluded earlier this year, after more than 15 years of discussions. It will enter into force after ratification by 60 states. The treaty is the first binding agreement for the protection of biological diversity in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.