Marine life talks end without deal being done

Diplomats from around the world have failed to reach agreement on a United Nations treaty designed to protect marine life on the high seas, after a fifth round of talks ended in an impasse.

Negotiations at the UN’s HQ in New York were suspended early yesterday after two weeks of talks.

A proposed treaty would set rules for protecting biodiversity

in the two-thirds of the world’s ocean areas outside of national jurisdictions.

Talks centred on how to share benefits from marine life, establish protected areas, prevent harm from human activity on the high seas and help poor countries gain the skills and means for ocean exploration.

Laura Meller, who leads Greenpeace’s ocean protection campaign, accused rich countries of being too slow to compromise and Russia of blocking negotiations.

US assistant secretary of state Monica Medina also voiced disappointment but expressed hope the work done so far will carry forward.

“We cannot let the tides and currents push us back. We must keep going,” she said.