Talks to resume on global marine goal

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 impasse.

Negotiations at U.N. headquarters in New York were suspended early Saturday following two weeks of talks that environmentalists had hoped would close a gap in international marine protection measures.

A proposed treaty would set rules for protecting biodiversity in two-thirds of the world’s ocean areas that are outside of national jurisdictions. The global goal is to set aside 30 percent of ocean area as some kind of marine sanctuary.

The talks will resume next year unless a special emergency session is called before the end of 2022.