What major international goal does the High Seas Treaty aim to advance once in force?

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (c) Create marine protected areas

Explanation:

• The High Seas Treaty, also known as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), is a landmark international agreement aimed at protecting the world's oceans.
• Its primary goal is to create marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters, which cover nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans.
• The treaty is a critical tool for achieving the "30 by 30" goal, which aims to protect 30% of the world's land and sea by 2030.
• It provides a legal framework for establishing large-scale MPAs where human activities like industrial fishing and shipping are strictly managed.
• The treaty also addresses the sustainable use of marine genetic resources and the sharing of benefits derived from them.

• The High Seas are the areas of the ocean that lie beyond the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of individual countries, typically starting 200 nautical miles from the coast.
• Until this treaty, there was no comprehensive legal mechanism for establishing MPAs in these vast international waters.

• While the treaty may manage shipping impact within MPAs, its core objective is biodiversity conservation rather than a general restriction on trade routes.

• Fisheries quotas are generally managed by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), not directly by this treaty.

• Deep-sea mining is regulated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA); the High Seas Treaty aims to ensure environmental assessments are done before such activities.