Blue Leaders Alliance

Source-This post on Blue Leaders Alliance has been created based on the article “Countries hope to bring BBNJ or High Seas treaty into force by 2025; only 2 have ratified it so far” published in “Down to Earth” on 8th March 2024.

Why in the news?

The Blue Leaders High-Level Event on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction was held in Belgium on March 7, 2024.

About Blue Leaders

1. About: It is an alliance of countries calling for urgent action to save the global ocean in the face of the climate crisis, overfishing, pollution, and other threats.

2. Members: There are 24 member countries of blue Leaders. Belgium, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain are some of the key members of this alliance.

Note: India is not the member of this alliance. 

3. Goals: The Blue Leaders are committed to two major goals: 

​a) Securing a new international target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean through a network of highly and fully protected marine areas by 2030.​​

b) The rapid and successful conclusion of a new High Seas Treaty that provides for establishment of fully and highly protected marine areas in the high seas and strengthens management of human activities outside protected areas.

4. What does “highly” and “fully” protected actually mean: 

a) Highly protected means only light extractive activities, such as subsistence or small-scale fishing with minimal impact, are allowed.  

b) Fully protected means that no extractive or destructive activities are allowed.

Read more: Beyond National Jurisdiction(BBNJ) Treaty

UPSC Syllabus: Environment