Explanation

Among the signatories were: Germany; Spain; Sweden; Canada; Colombia; Chile; Israel; and South Korea, as well as Costa Rica and France, co-hosts of the third UN Ocean Conference to be held next June in the French city of Nice. The peace declaration includes a call for twelve “Ocean Actions,” notably the implementation of several ocean-related international accords agreed to last year. Those include a landmark high seas treaty that allows for the creation of marine protected areas outside of countries’ exclusive economic zones. The treaty was adopted after more than 15 years of discussions to extend environmental protections to international waters which make up more than 60 percent of the world’s oceans.