-Image courtesy of the UN World Oceans Day Media Toolkit It was also World Ocean Day this week and the oceans have also enjoyed a major victory this year with the passage of the High Seas Treaty in which 200 countries have committed to protecting 30% of our land, waters and oceans by 2030. The ocean covers 70% of the earth's surface and is home to 80% of the world's biodiversity . Unfortunately, 10% of its 2 million known species are already at risk of extinction and 90% of it's large fish are already depleted, so this agreement is long overdue, especially when other risks to our oceans are taken into account. The Agreement itself is only a beginning. At least 60 countries must now ratify it and pass legislation within their own countries for it to become binding. The previous agreement about the high seas - the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea agreed in 1982, was all about ensuring the freedom of shipping to go where it pleased beyond each country's EEZ -...
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