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The United Nations has agreed to enact an international maritime treaty that designates 2030% of the world's oceans as protected areas by 30. Environmental groups hailed it as a historic day for conservation.

This is reporter Lee Hong-gap.

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Endangered sea creatures such as whales and sea turtles float over
Seoul's forests.

Greenpeace, an environmental advocacy group, launched 300 drones last year.

They appealed for support in the Convention on the Conservation of Marine Biodiversity, which is being debated at the United Nations level, to designate the high seas as a protected area.

This demand finally paid off.

[Lena Lee/UN Ambassador for Maritime and Maritime Law: The ship has finally reached shore.]

After more than 15 years of discussions, the United Nations has finally agreed to create an international maritime treaty that will protect the world's oceans.

The goal is to designate 2030% of the world's oceans, including the high seas, as protected areas by 30, and to impose restrictions on catches, sea routes, and deep-sea mineral mining within protected areas.

Until now, only 64.1% of the pollution, which accounts for 2% of the planet's oceans, has been protected.

The agreement also protects endangered species such as whales and turtles by preserving their habitats.

[Yeonha Kim/Greenpeace Ocean Campaigner: It will be a new milestone in global marine environment conservation. The signing of the Maritime Treaty will be a new leap forward in alleviating the climate crisis and restoring marine biodiversity.]

The treaty has been hampered by disagreements among member states over financing, fishing rights and economic interests.

While a dramatic agreement has been reached, the process of ratification by country and the establishment of implementing mechanisms remains, and it will take time for the treaty to take effect.

(Video Editing : Jung Yong-hwa)