193 nations sign historic agreement to protect the oceans Ladies and gentlemen, the ship has reached the shore. An emotional moment as the United Nations Treaty to Protect the High Seas is finally agreed. Delegates at the UN Headquarters in New York had worked through the night to push a deal over the line. After more than a decade of failed talks, a hugely significant milestone. This treaty that will lay the groundwork for creating 30% of the ocean into marine sanctuaries that cannot be fished in is so important. Our oceans and the biodiversity within them are critical to keeping the earth in balance, generating nearly half the planet's oxygen, absorbing a quarter of its carbon dioxide, and much of the excess heat it generates. Nearly two thirds of the planet's oceans are actually considered to be international waters outside of the control of individual nations, which means ...