On 24 December, 140 member states of the United Nations voted to launch a 2 year process aiming to creating an international treaty to protect the high seas. This would extend protections to the oceans beyond national maritime boundaries. International waters account for over half the planet’s surface. The process will convene a two year intergovernmental conference to establish full treaty negotiations.
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution urging member states to do more to tackle the illicit trafficking of wildlife, and provides a international legal framework to allow for the “prevention, investigation and prosecution of offences” and for “treating certain wildlife offences as a serious crimes.”
Wetpixel sister site, DivePhotoGuide, in conjunction with Swiss watch company Blancpain, has created a display of underwater imagery in the United Nations Visitor Center in New York City. The exhibit highlights World Oceans Day and includes images captured many noted photographers, and features ocean ecosystems from around the globe.