〈全球環保時事〉彙整頁面 - Page 4 of 37

Study shows circular economy can help fashion industry reduce carbon emissions

Resale company Trove and Worldly, an influential sustainability advocacy platform in the fashion industry, jointly released a research report titled "How Can Circular Models Support Fashion Brands' Sustainability Strategies?" The report states that circular models can help improve the fashion industry's carbon emissions. First, the report notes that resale is a key decarbonization strategy, particularly for high-end and outdoor brands. This is primarily because promoting resale can reduce the need for new product production by 23% to 35% annually, helping brands reduce their carbon emissions by 15% to 16% by 2040 while also enabling brands to achieve their growth goals through resale. Second, the fashion industry should strive to improve the efficiency of resale to enhance the aforementioned sustainability benefits. Specifically, brands can enhance the durability of their products, increasing their value in the resale market and thereby increasing the emissions reduction benefits of a circular model. Third, through resale, brands can more effectively control and manage Scope 3 carbon emissions, improving the sustainability of their operations. Trove CEO Gayle Tait stated that this research report confirms that resale can improve the fashion industry's carbon emissions. Therefore, Trove will continue to help brands and the fashion industry achieve sustainable development by improving resale efficiency.

2023-09-26

Chatting with AI also wastes water! ChatGPT requires 500ml of water to answer 5 to 50 questions.

Will the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology impact water resources? While sufficient research data is currently unavailable, there are indications that the development of AI will consume significant amounts of water resources. Even simply asking questions to the AI chatbot program "ChatGPT" requires water. According to the Associated Press, OpenAI, a US AI research lab backed by the multinational technology company Microsoft, uses large amounts of fresh water to cool its powerful supercomputers, which are essential for the operation of AI models like ChatGPT. Business Insider explains that regardless of the type of AI model being run, the training process consumes significant energy and generates considerable heat, and water effectively reduces the temperature of the associated equipment. The primary reason for using fresh water over seawater is that the salt content in seawater can cause corrosion, bacterial growth, and clog internal pipes in AI equipment. The Associated Press also pointed out that Microsoft's water sources for developing artificial intelligence are mostly obtained from the Raccoon River and Des Moines River basins in central Iowa, but few people know that OpenAI

2023-09-26

Will Germany be the first country to abandon its net-zero emissions commitment?

In recent months, the German government has been trying to find alternative ways to save its heavy industry from the impact of high energy prices, which have hindered Germany's progress towards its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045. High energy prices have led to a shift in production to Asia. For example, last year, chemical giant BASF announced it would invest £10 billion in a new plant in China due to energy costs. In response, the German government will launch a £200 billion Climate Transition Fund to invest in green technologies and subsidize projects affected by the ban on new gas boilers next year. However, some power plants have had to restart to cope with reduced Russian gas supplies, allowing some coal-fired plants to receive subsidies. Meanwhile, Germany is opposing EU proposals on climate and other environmental requirements. The German automotive industry has successfully mitigated the EU's ban on gasoline and diesel vehicles from 2035 by allowing internal combustion engines to use synthetic "e-fuels" made from hydrogen and carbon dioxide. How did Germany, Europe's most ambitious nation on net-zero emissions, become a laggard? For years, Germany relied heavily on cheap Russian gas and struggled with renewable energy. Despite the impact of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Germany still shut down three nuclear power plants ahead of schedule in early 2021. However, with energy prices currently high and wind and solar power unable to provide sufficiently cheap and reliable energy to replace all fossil fuels, the inevitable result will be that more and more German industrial production capacity will be transferred to South Asia.

2023-09-18

IKEA's 80th birthday wish: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030

With 462 stores in 62 cities worldwide, the renowned furniture chain IKEA officially entered its 80th year and opened its North Asia headquarters in Taipei for the first time on the 12th. The office features extensive, home-style public spaces, focus rooms for employees to unleash their creativity, and thoughtful automatic height-adjustable desks, showcasing IKEA's commitment to human capital and sustainability. During the event, IKEA reiterated its global commitment to becoming climate positive and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. Adrian Worth, Managing Director of IKEA North Asia, shared its business strategy in Taiwan. (Photo by Liu Youjun) IKEA acknowledges the high cost of sustainable products, focusing on volume and price to create a win-win situation. IKEA invited Adrian Worth, Managing Director of IKEA North Asia, to share its business strategy in Taiwan and engage in a Q&A session with media on various aspects, including environmental sustainability, humanistic care, and employee well-being. IKEA asked the media: Between "low price" and "sustainability," what do IKEA's decision-makers choose? 88% of the media professionals at the scene chose sustainability. Adolf Ellis was surprised by this result because in order for IKEA products to compete with similar products in the market, the design must be based on "price". However, he also believes that good design is a combination of form, function, quality, sustainable development and affordable prices for everyone, which is "democratic design". IKEA believes that good furniture is designed for everyone. Therefore, sustainability

2023-09-13

Climate action groups call on US Congress to legislate on regulating generative AI systems

A total of 22 climate action groups, including Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, Fight for the Future, and Green America, are pressuring the US Senate to demand that tech companies disclose the carbon emissions impact of generative artificial intelligence systems and are calling for legislation forcing companies to increase transparency. These climate action groups hope to ensure that the development of AI technology does not undermine efforts to combat climate change. The climate action groups point out that the widespread use of large language models will increase carbon emissions. They are calling on Congress to enact legislation requiring tech companies to disclose energy usage and carbon emissions data throughout the lifecycle of AI models and to hold tech companies and their executives legally accountable for the environmental damage caused by the use of generative AI. The climate action groups point out that the energy consumption of training AI models is staggering, and that carbon emissions from data centers are increasing. Tech giants such as Google, IBM, Microsoft, and SAP have long failed to fully disclose carbon emissions data, especially given the massive energy demands of AI training. The climate action groups emphasize that AI models could exacerbate the spread of climate change misinformation and hinder climate action. Therefore, they called on the government to include the sustainable development of AI technology in its regulation to reduce the impact of the evolution of AI technology on the environment. Source: QUARTZ

2023-09-12

Apple continues to promote clean energy initiatives for suppliers

On September 12, Apple announced significant progress in decarbonizing its global supply chain. Over 300 manufacturers have pledged to use 100% clean energy in Apple production lines by 2030, including over 50 suppliers in the United States, Europe, and Asia who have joined Apple's Supplier Clean Energy Program. Currently, the program covers 90% of Apple's global production lines, contributing to its goal of carbon neutrality for all products by 2030. Apple's global operations have been carbon neutral since 2020, and the company has set a goal of reducing its overall carbon emissions by 75% by 2030. Since 2015, Apple has been actively working with its global suppliers to address electricity emissions from Apple production lines, with 100% clean energy being a key strategy to achieve this goal. Suppliers who have committed to Apple's Supplier Clean Energy Program come from 28 countries and regions worldwide, including Skyworks Solutions, Analog Devices, and Cirrus Logic in the United States, Renesas Electronics in Japan, Sappi Limited, LeMur and Schoeller Textil AG in Europe, and suppliers in South Korea and China. Apple continues to track its suppliers’ Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions and works closely with them to achieve their goal of carbon neutrality for their production lines by 2030. As of 2022, the use of renewable energy has helped Apple avoid 17.4 million tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to 1.5 million tons of CO2 emissions per year.

2023-09-12

California's saltwater lakes contain lithium deposits, and the development of "Lithium Valley" will help the US become a leader in lithium battery manufacturing.

To achieve its green energy development goals, the United States has been actively exploring and extracting more lithium in recent years. This metal is an essential raw material for the development of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and is also considered a key element in the manufacture of electric vehicles and in reducing global transportation carbon emissions. According to PBS, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, passed by Congress in August 2022, promises increased subsidies for electric vehicles, contributing to the growing demand for electric vehicles in the United States. However, the current lithium supply shortage in the United States threatens to hinder the development and transition to electric vehicles in the country. However, this situation could change. CBS News reports that the Salton Sea, an inland saltwater lake in California, contains significant lithium deposits. EnergySource Minerals and General Motors, a multinational automotive company, have plans to mine lithium in the area. CBS News also believes that lithium mining in California’s Salton Sea is like the California Gold Rush from 1848 to 1855.

2023-09-06

Technology’s Carbon Footprint: Can AI Be a Responsible Revolution?

There are currently over 8,000 data centers worldwide, and with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), this number will continue to expand. Research estimates that by 2025, the IT industry will account for 20% of electricity consumption and approximately 5.5% of global carbon emissions. This raises a realistic and increasingly pressing question: how should the industry's carbon footprint be addressed? In 2019, researchers at the University of Massachusetts trained several large language models and found that training a single AI model can emit the equivalent of the lifetime emissions of five cars. Furthermore, a recent study by Google and UC Berkeley reported that training GPT-3 results in 552 metric tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to driving a passenger car for 2 million kilometers. OpenAI's latest generation model, GPT-4, has approximately 570 times the computing parameters of GPT-3. As AI becomes more powerful and widespread, the scale of these systems will only grow. The International Energy Agency (IEA) indicates that global data center energy use increased by only 6% between 2010 and 2018, despite a 550% increase in workloads and compute instances. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that the large-scale deployment of AI and faster computing will eventually reduce the demand for global data clouds. Not only that, AI will turn your laptop, car or other device into an energy-efficient supercomputer. OpenAI's Sam Al

2023-09-04

GHD says more and more countries are developing hydrogen strategies to drive net zero emissions

As economies and industries transition to a decarbonized world, the use of low-carbon fuels is expected to play a key role. Thomas Evans, executive advisor at GHD (Gutteridge Haskins & Davey), stated that a growing number of countries are considering building their own hydrogen capabilities and strategies to achieve net zero targets, and are attempting to assess the costs and infrastructure required for hydrogen projects. He further explained, "Every country with decarbonization goals needs to make room for hydrogen in its energy mix, as demand for hydrogen-related services and strategies will increase." As economies and industries transition to a low-carbon world, hydrogen, which can be produced from renewable energy and natural gas, is expected to become a key fuel. Hydrogen comes in various forms, including blue, green, and grey. Both blue and grey hydrogen are produced from natural gas, while green hydrogen is produced through the electrolysis of water molecules. French investment bank Natixis estimates that hydrogen investment will exceed $300 billion by 2030. Last September (2022), the UAE signed an agreement with GHD and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft to develop its hydrogen strategy. The UAE aims to produce 1.4 million tons of hydrogen per year by 2031 and 15 million tons per year by 2050. Thomas Evans pointed out that the UAE has competitively priced blue hydrogen, which makes blue hydrogen and green hydrogen plus all natural resources

2023-08-31

Toyota Europe launches open lab to drive innovation in five areas, including carbon neutrality

Toyota Motor Europe launched Toyota Open Labs on August 29, 2023, to integrate startups into the Toyota ecosystem, drive innovation, and strengthen Toyota's expertise and capabilities in energy, circular economy, carbon neutrality, smart communities, and accessible mobility, thereby driving Toyota's transformation. Toyota Open Labs will solicit proposals from startups across five key themes: energy (including hydrogen economy, energy management, and smart charging), circular economy (vehicle and battery recycling technologies and systems), carbon neutrality (carbon reduction technologies, transparent and data-driven product lifecycle assessment solutions), smart communities (car sharing, vehicle subscription services, and transportation hubs), and accessible mobility (overcoming mobility barriers in an aging society and equitable mobility solutions). Selected startups will receive guidance from mentors and advisors to improve their products, explore investment opportunities, and optimize their operational strategies. In addition to collaborating with Toyota on proof-of-concept projects and entering the market through Toyota, these startups will also be invited to showcase their technology at a conference at the 2024 Paris Summer Games. Source: Toyota Europe News Center

2023-08-29

Japan's government to invest 2 trillion yuan in green transformation

The Japanese government plans to invest more than 2 trillion yen (approximately NT$437 billion) to promote green transformation and promote national and industrial decarbonization. According to the latest remarks of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the relevant budget for the next fiscal year will exceed 1.2 trillion yen (approximately NT$260 billion). The Japanese Cabinet Office also pointed out that the reason for the huge investment in green transformation is that green transformation will have a huge impact on Japan's economy in the next 50 years. The relevant budget will be used to develop hydrogen and solar energy supply chains to accelerate energy transformation. Over the next five years, the Japanese government will also invest 200 billion yen (approximately NT$43.7 billion) to cultivate new startups related to green transformation, 190 billion yen (approximately NT$41.5 billion) to guide small and medium-sized enterprises in energy conservation and carbon reduction, and 150 billion yen (approximately NT$32.7 billion) to develop next-generation nuclear power generation technology. Information source: nippon.com

2023-08-23

Musk's claim that hydrogen doesn't occur naturally on Earth has been overturned by the discovery of large quantities of natural hydrogen in France, Australia, and other places.

In May 2023, the French Energy Company (French Energy Company, Française de l’Énergie, FDE) accidentally discovered a large natural hydrogen deposit while inspecting methane risks in abandoned mines in the Lorraine region of northeastern France. Although the deposit's size cannot be confirmed due to lack of exploration, local geological research institutes believe it may be the largest natural hydrogen deposit discovered in Europe to date. Natural hydrogen mining has a relatively recent history. Tesla founder Elon Musk stated at the 2022 Future of Vehicles Summit that hydrogen production is almost entirely artificial, stating, "It doesn't occur naturally on Earth, so you either produce it by electrolysis of water or by cracking hydrides." However, countries such as Australia, the United States, and Europe have expressed interest in natural hydrogen mining. Successful extraction of natural hydrogen in France could have a significant impact on Europe's energy transition. The discovery of hydrogen deposits in the Lorraine region of northeastern France presents new possibilities for Europe's energy transition. Image source: LtDrogo (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Low carbon and low price make natural hydrogen a rising star. Hydrogen itself is a colorless transparent gas, but it has different names depending on the production process. "Green hydrogen" is hydrogen produced by electrolyzing water with renewable energy electricity. It has low carbon emissions and high costs. "Gray hydrogen" is produced through steam reforming and is the most common hydrogen. "Blue hydrogen" uses carbon capture to store carbon dioxide emitted by other hydrogen production processes. "Pink hydrogen" uses nuclear power. And "white hydrogen" refers to natural hydrogen. "Euractiv" reported

2023-08-17

UK government launches Business Climate Development Hub to help 5.5 million SMEs decarbonise

To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in reducing their energy bills and achieving decarbonization, the UK government has launched a new Business Climate Hub. Established jointly by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), National Grid, and NatWest, the Hub aims to provide a one-stop shop for the UK's approximately 5.5 million SMEs, helping them find advice on reducing their carbon footprint and saving energy bills. SMEs account for approximately 99.2% of all businesses in the UK, three-fifths of employment, and approximately 50% of turnover, making them crucial to the journey towards net zero emissions. Compared to larger businesses, SMEs have fewer resources and investment capital, and therefore face significant challenges in achieving net zero decarbonization goals. Therefore, the Hub provides resources and advice on cost-effective climate strategies, carbon credits, operating grants, green loans, sustainability training, waste reduction, and matching green suppliers. A free carbon emissions estimation tool is also available to help SMEs measure and track their emissions. In addition, the study found that 90% of SMEs are keen to respond to climate change, but found

2023-08-14

UK to develop guidelines for companies to disclose sustainability risks and opportunities to combat greenwashing

The UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) issued a statement on Wednesday stating that the UK will draw on international standards to develop rules for companies to disclose sustainability risks and opportunities. This will both combat greenwashing and strengthen London's position as a global financial center. UK Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch stated that the UK will strive to develop guidelines for UK companies to disclose sustainability-related information by July 2024. These UK sustainability disclosure guidelines will be based on the standards published by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). In addition to requiring companies to disclose the climate impact of their operations, they will also require companies to disclose Scope 3 carbon emissions. The initial plan is for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to oversee listed companies, while general UK companies will be regulated by the DBT. The Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Treasury, and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) have all announced their support for the DBT's approach and stated that they will provide recommendations for policy development. The ISSB also commended the UK for promoting this policy. Source: INDEPENDENT

2023-08-02

France will subsidize clothing and shoe repairs starting in October, covering ripped pants, broken zippers, and broken heels.

What would you do if your clothes have a hole, your zipper is broken, or your heel is broken? To reduce textile waste, France launched a new policy in October, offering government subsidies for repairing clothes and shoes. Depending on the project and the level of difficulty, the amount ranges from 6 to 25 euros (approximately NT$210 to NT$870). Bérangère Couillard, France's Secretary of State for Ecology, announced the program on the 11th. Couillard said she hopes more people will decide to repair their clothes rather than discard them, and that the subsidy will also create jobs for tailors and shoemakers. The program is being run by the ecological organization Refashion, and tailors, shoemakers, and clothing and shoe repair companies are all eligible to participate, but they must first obtain Refashion certification. The BBC reports that the French government will provide 154 million euros over five years for the program. According to the French media "The connexion", the amount of subsidies will vary depending on the project. For example, the subsidy for holes in clothes or broken heels is 7 euros, gluing soles is 8 euros, repairing zippers is 8 to 15 euros, and repairing leather shoes can be up to 25 euros. The Guardian reported that up to 700,000 tons of clothing are discarded in France every year, of which 2/3 go to landfills. On average, each French person buys 10.5 kilograms of textiles every year. This policy is part of a series of policies in France to promote the sustainability of the fashion and apparel industry. Starting January 1, 2024, France requires the clothing industry to comply with new labeling rules that list the environmental impact of products, including the amount of water used in the production of clothing, the amount of chemicals used,

2023-07-21

The EU plans to impose a NT$4 disposal fee on each T-shirt, urging the fashion industry to assume producer responsibility.

Do you have a full wardrobe, but always missing something? With the rise of fast fashion, the rate of clothing disposal has accelerated. On average, each person in the EU throws away 12 kilograms of clothes and shoes each year. To promote the sustainable use of textiles, the European Union proposed a draft bill on the 4th that would require producers to pay a prepayment for waste management, estimated at around €0.12 (approximately NT$4) per T-shirt, depending on the ease of recycling and disposal. This is part of the EU's 2030 textile recycling target. Related regulations also include prohibiting businesses from destroying unsold clothing, establishing textile waste recycling systems, and managing inaccurate green labels. Tougher regulations are being implemented to address textile issues that have previously been under-managed. Fast fashion is also accelerating waste: the EU is requiring producers to pay. The success of Zara and H&M has spurred an influx of fast fashion brands like SHEIN and Boohoo, attracting consumers with their trendy and affordable designs. Not only has purchase volume increased, but the rate of replacement and disposal has also accelerated. From the raw materials, water, and electricity required for production to waste disposal, all these factors put pressure on the environment. According to 2019 statistics from the European Environment Agency (EEA), clothing, footwear, and home textiles use approximately 1.3 tons of materials and over 100,000 liters of water per person in the EU each year. These figures are rapidly increasing. Textiles have become the fourth largest source of environmental burden in the EU, following food, housing, and transportation. According to data from the European Commission, approximately 12.6 million tons of textile waste is discarded annually in the EU, with clothing and shoes accounting for 5.2 million tons, equivalent to 12 kilograms of clothing and shoes thrown away per person each year.

2023-07-19

Plastics-related investment risks exceed hundreds of billions. The world's largest environmental disclosure project includes plastics for the first time this year.

In the sweltering summer heat, the sustainability departments of tens of thousands of companies are working furiously to prepare this year's Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). CDP is the world's largest carbon disclosure program, and this data serves as a crucial reference for $136 trillion in investment and $6.8 trillion in procurement, earning it high priority from all businesses. This year, CDP has included a "plastics" project for the first time. Nearly 7,000 companies in the petrochemical, food, and packaging industries have been invited to disclose their plastic production and recycling practices. The data is expected to be publicly available in September. 7,000 companies are being asked to disclose their plastics. With tightening global carbon emissions controls, excessive carbon dioxide emissions may result in carbon fees and even lawsuits, all of which are investment risks. Consequently, over 680 investment institutions worldwide, with a combined $136 trillion in assets under management, require companies to submit CDP information as a guide for investment decisions. In 2022, over 18,700 companies, representing half of the world's total market capitalization, submitted CDP questionnaires. CDP announced that it will add "plastics" disclosures this year, covering plastic polymers, durable plastics, and plastic packaging, which have the greatest environmental impact. The first wave of industries named include chemicals, clothing, food, packaging, etc. Nearly 7,000 companies were invited to disclose information on plastic production or use. Inquiries are expected to be open from September. CDP explained that plastic waste generated by 100 petrochemical companies worldwide accounts for 90% of global plastic waste; plastic packaging of food and beverages is the main source of pollution. In addition, up to 44% of plastic is used for packaging. This year's plastic disclosure is a pilot program. The CDP official website pointed out that in order to give companies time to formulate plastic reduction plans,

2023-07-17

KitKat abandons its "carbon-neutral chocolate" goal. Why are foreign media praising it as a good thing?

Carbon-neutral shampoo, carbon-neutral wine, carbon-neutral beef, carbon-neutral chocolate—as consumers prioritize carbon reduction, a wide variety of carbon-neutral products are beginning to appear on supermarket shelves. However, Nestlé, in contrast, recently announced it would abandon carbon-neutral claims for products like KitKat and Perrier. Rather than sparking outcry, this announcement was praised by foreign media as a positive development. "Carbon neutrality" has repeatedly become a target, with brands like KitKat, Gucci, and EasyJet all dropping their claims. In 2021, KitKat announced it would aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025, a goal reversed in 2023. Bloomberg reported that Nestlé explained that its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 remains unchanged; it will simply no longer use carbon offsets to achieve carbon neutrality for products like KitKat and Perrier, instead focusing on reducing carbon emissions within its supply chain. Carbon dioxide is generated during the production, manufacturing, and transportation of products, as well as through electricity consumption and business travel, making it unlikely for the company to achieve zero carbon emissions. Therefore, companies purchase carbon reduction credits to offset these carbon emissions and achieve the so-called "carbon neutrality". Carbon reduction credits may come from carbon offset projects such as planting trees or protecting wetlands, or they may be as far away as Africa, South America or a small island. In recent years, many carbon reduction projects have been exposed as false, which has caused companies to be cast in the shadow of "greenwashing" and even sued. The "carbon neutrality" label on Evian mineral water bottles was sued by American consumers. The plaintiff accused that this was not only a

2023-07-14

Paris summit promotes 'new global financial system' to help poor countries combat climate change

Developing countries emit less carbon dioxide, but face the burden of severe disasters and debt when faced with extreme climate change. The "Summit for a New Global Financing Pact" was held in Paris, France, on the 22nd and 23rd. Leaders from over 40 countries gathered to explore a new financial system to help low-income countries combat climate change. Good news emerged from the meeting: the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reached its $100 billion target for Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), potentially enabling lower-interest loans. Some countries also support taxing the shipping industry, potentially providing more climate funding. However, climate advocates question whether these measures will be enough to help poor countries escape their debt crisis. Bearing the burden of the climate crisis, poor countries face a debt crisis. Poor countries reeling from climate disasters often resort to borrowing to weather the crisis. Heavy debts prevent them from investing in more resilient infrastructure and resilience mechanisms. Consequently, they remain ill-equipped to respond to the next disaster. Despite repeated pledges of funding from rich countries, the promised funds have yet to materialize. The conference host, French President Emmanuel Macron, hopes to use the summit to build political pressure to restructure the financial system. The Associated Press reported that the idea for the summit originated from the "Bridgetown Initiative" proposed by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley at last year's UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), hoping to thoroughly

2023-06-28

After 20 years of negotiations, the United Nations has adopted the first international treaty to protect the high seas.

Nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans are located in the high seas. Because they are not under the jurisdiction of any nation, they are often subject to improper development and exploitation. After nearly 20 years of negotiations, the United Nations (UN) finally adopted the world's first international agreement to protect the high seas on the 19th. Currently, only 1% of the high seas is protected. Once the High Seas Treaty enters into force, the UN will establish a new ocean regulatory agency and establish a legal framework for high seas marine protected areas, allowing more of the high seas to be protected and taking a major step towards its goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030. The High Seas Treaty is a legally binding international instrument drafted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). Agreement was reached in March of this year and formally adopted this week. According to UN information, the agreement will be open for signature at UN Headquarters in New York on September 20, 2023, and will enter into force only after 60 countries have ratified it. The UN Secretary-General must convene a Conference of the Parties (COP) within one year of its entry into force. At the end of 2022, nearly 200 countries agreed to protect 30% of their land and oceans by 2030, a goal known as the "30x30" target. The high seas treaty is crucial to achieving the "30x30" target.

2023-06-21