Global Marine Protection Agreements

History of International Agreements on Global Marine Protection

Many nations have agreed to establish marine protected areas as part of their larger commitment to protecting biological diversity.

In 2002: The participants of the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainability Development (WSSD) agreed to establish representative networks of marine protected areas by 2012.

In 2004: The Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) set a global marine MPA target of 10% coverage by 2012. Following the IUCN World Parks Congress, several other important agreements, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Durban Accord have set gradual and tangible marine conservation goals for world economic leaders.

In 2010: The Convention on Biological Diversity's Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, called the Aichi Target 11, calls for 10% of coastal and marine areas to be conserved by 2020 through effectively managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes (Convention on Biological Diversity, 2010).

In 2014: The World Parks Congress increased their recommendation for 30% of the oceans to be highly protected by 2030. Additionally, many countries have established their own national targets for marine protected areas, ranging in coverage from 10% to 30% (Table).

International MPA Conventions

Agreement	Goal
CBD (2010)	Designate 10% of the world’s marine areas under MPA status by the year 2020
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea	The support for creating marine protected areas can be inferred from a number of articles in the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention19. Article 192 of the LOSC provides that "States have the obligation to protect and preserve the marine Environment". Other articles of the LOSC lend support to the creation of marine protected areas beyond national jurisdiction for specific purposes such as conservation and management of living resources in Article 61
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance	The Convention's mission is "the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development through the world". Wetlands includes mangroves, coastal areas and coral reefs.
International Coral Reef Initiative	ICRI emerged out recognition that coral reefs and related ecosystems found in tropical and sub-tropical regions are facing serious degredation, primarly due to anthropogenic stresses. It's objectives is to encourage the adoption of best practice in sustainable management of coral reefs and associated ecosystems, build capacity and raise awareness at all levels on the plight of coral reefs around the world.
The World Heritage Convention	The convention sets out the duties of State Parties in identifying potential sites and their role in protecting and preserving them. The State Parties are encouraged to integrate the protection of the cultural and natural heritage into regional planning programs, set up staff and services at their sites, undertake scientific and technical conservation research.

Summary of Agreements between Countries with Marine Estate

	International Agreements					Regional Treaties & Agreements			Among Partners, NGOs, Public Bodies, Research Groups
Countries	Convention on Biological Diversity (Aichi)	United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea	Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of Int'l Importance	International Coral Reef Initiative	The World Heritage Convention	The Regional Seas Convention	Barcelona Convention	Natura 2000	Atlantic Arc Network of MPAs - MAIA	Caribbean MPA Network - CaMPAM	Mediterranean MPA Network - MedPAN	North American MPA Network - NAMPAN	West Africa MPA Network - RAMPAO	OSPAR Convention
Albania	✓
Algeria	✓
Angola	✓
Antigua and Barbuda	✓
Argentina	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
American Samoa		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Australia	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Azerbaijan	✓
Bahamas	✓
Bahrain	✓
Bangladesh	✓
Barbados	✓
Belgium	✓
Belize	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Benin	✓
Bosnia and Herzegovina	✓
Brazil	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Brunei Darussalam	✓
Bulgaria	✓
British Virgin Islands						✓
Cabo Verde	✓
Cambodia	✓
Cameroon	✓
Canada	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓						✓
Chile	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
China	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Colombia	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓
Comoros	✓
Congo	✓
Cook Islands	✓
Costa Rica	✓
Côte d'Ivoire	✓
Croatia	✓
Cuba	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Cyprus	✓
Democratic People's Republic of Korea	✓
Democratic Republic of the Congo	✓
Denmark	✓
Djibouti	✓
Dominica	✓
Dominican Republic	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Ecuador	✓
Egypt	✓
El Salvador	✓
Equatorial Guinea	✓
Eritrea	✓
Estonia	✓
European Union	✓	✓				(✓)	✓	✓						✓
Fiji	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Finland	✓
France	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓			✓
Gabon	✓
Gambia	✓
Georgia	✓
Germany	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓		✓						✓
Ghana	✓
Greece	✓
Grenada	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓				✓
Guatemala	✓
Guinea	✓
Guinea-Bissau	✓
Guam						✓
Guyana	✓
Haiti	✓
Honduras	✓
Iceland	✓
India	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Indonesia	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Iran (Islamic Republic of)	✓
Iraq	✓
Ireland	✓	✓	✓		✓			✓						✓
Israel	✓
Italy	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓			✓
Jamaica	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓				✓
Japan	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Jordan	✓
Kazakhstan	✓
Kenya	✓
Kiribati	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Kuwait	✓
Lativa	✓
Lebanon	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓				✓
Liberia	✓
Libya	✓
Lithuania	✓
Madagascar	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Malaysia	✓
Maldives	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Malta	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓			✓
Marshall Islands	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Mauritania	✓
Mauritius	✓
Mexico	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓				✓		✓
Micronesia (Federal States of)	✓	✓			✓	✓
Monaco	✓
Mongolia	✓
Montenegro	✓
Morocco	✓
Mozambique	✓
Myanmar	✓
Namibia	✓
Nauru	✓
Netherlands	✓
New Zealand	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Nicaragua	✓
Nigeria	✓
Niue	✓
Norway	✓
Oman	✓
Pakistan	✓
Palau	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Panama	✓
Papua New Guinea	✓
Peru	✓
Philipines	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Poland	✓
Portugal	✓
Qatar	✓
Republic of Korea	✓
Romania	✓
Russia	✓	✓	✓		✓
Saint Kitts and Nevis	✓
Saint Lucia	✓
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	✓
Samoa	✓
Sao Tome and Principe	✓
Saudi Arabia	✓	✓			✓	✓
Senegal	✓
Seychelles	✓
Sierra Leone	✓
Singapore	✓
Slovenia	✓
Solomon Islands	✓
Somalia	✓
South Africa	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
South Korea		✓	✓			✓
Spain	✓
Sri Lanka	✓
Sudan	✓
Suriname	✓
Sweden	✓
Syrian Arab Republic	✓
Thailand	✓
Togo	✓
Tonga	✓
Trinidad and Tobago	✓
Tunisia	✓
Turkey	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓				✓
Turkmenistan	✓
Tuvalu	✓
Ukraine	✓
United Arab Emirates	✓
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	✓
United Kingdom	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓				✓
United Republic of Tanzania	✓
Uruguay	✓
Vanuatu	✓
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)	✓
Viet Nam	✓
Yemen	✓
United States			✓	✓	✓	✓				✓		✓