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David Levy – The Unified Treaty – Apr 2023

Nearly 20 years have passed since the UN began to consider a Treaty on the High Seas and it has taken that time for countries to agree a form of words acceptable to this body which embodies a belief that they still have a serious goal in mind.

A form of words, yes.   However the detail, which is the essential element, is far from present.

This detail which provides the management structure for delivery and enforcement is sadly absent.   And it is this absence that is most concerning, and even alarming, when taking into focus the problems we currently face around the world.

Hovering in the wings are such issues as deep sea mining .   On this issue, the Treaty has no promises of re-evaluating the necessity of such deep sea mining proposals or actual licence applications.

One cannot stress enough the urgency of global oceans decline.   In this Treaty we are only able to congratulate half-measures and semi-successes, without any hope of halting the overall decline.

I have always said that the UN, although is the best we have to date, is always doomed to failure.   This is because it can be sabotaged by non-voting and, in the oceans, by piracy and an absence of law enforcement, especially on the high seas.

We have to create change to this world.

The UN will have to function by the majority vote winning the day.   All countries would have to abide by this decision, and this new version of the UN will need the powers and resources to carry out the collective will and decision making.

Only then would we have the provision, the teeth, the world needs to get things done.   It is the only way to engender a responsible approach to governing our world and its resources. What we currently have is anarchy, and total self-service by power blocks within Regional Management Structures.

Some countries already abide by this thinking within Regional Treaties.   However they too sometimes have fleets of foreign fisheries coming into their territorial waters regardless, fishing illegally with no comeback, because to date enforcement has never been considered as the essential element which is required to deliver the outcome they may want.

We are proceeding to develop at too slow a pace with insufficient solutions, and we are not engaged with the urgency of our problems in any meaningful way.   Collectively, we are becoming tired with the excuses and poor negotiating skills within a fractured international body.

I believe Marinet should call on all countries to join those who believe in democracy, and in a vote for world action.

This has to be the outcome, or the planet will all too quickly run out of options — and the strong will kill the weak, and that is not an outcome I would want for my children or grandchildren.

 

David Levy