UN chief says Convention on Law of the Sea more relevant than ever

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses a General Assembly meeting on the 40th anniversary of the adoption and opening of the UN Convention on the Law of the SeaUN Convention on the Law of the Sea, at the UN headquarters in New York on December 8, 2022. ESKINDER DEBEBE UN PHOTO UNITED NATIONS - As the ocean is in a dire straits, the landmark UN Convention on the Law of the Sea adopted 40 years ago is more relevant than ever, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday.

Guterres made remarks while addressing the UN General Assembly meeting commemorating the 40th anniversary of the adoption and opening of the UN Convention on the Law of the SeaUN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The convention, which was adopted in 1982, opened a new chapter of global maritime governance, and has helped humanity better understand, protect and use the sea.

Four decades ago, the world took a vital step to bring governance and order to oceans and seas, Guterres said, adding that the convention's near-universal acceptance reflects its fundamental importance and its legal framework and related instruments to countries around the world.

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The convention is more relevant than ever, as we gather today. The UN chief warned that the ocean is in dire straits.

Nearly 35 percent of the world's fisheries are overexploited, he said, due to rising sea levels, acidifying the ocean, bleaching and dying coral reefs, as well as epic floods threatening coastal cities and small island developing states.

Guterres said that greater ambition is needed for the ocean and the people counting on it, and the convention's 40th anniversary should be an important reminder to use this critical instrument to tackle today's challenges.