International law, particularly the formulation of legal agreements between nations with commonly shared resources, provide a powerful tool for regulating access to those resources and for controlling activities with potentially destructive impacts on the environment.
There are several international agreements and a series of regional and national agreements which are directly relevant to the conservation of marine biodiversity.
These include agreements to regulate pollution resulting from maritime activity, control trade in endangered marine species, curb the hunting of endangered whales, protect coastal sites of universal value, trace the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, and deal with pollution from land-based activities.
In addition, there are currently thirteen UNEP Regional Seas Programmes and five partner programmes with their attendant protocols which address marine issues of particular regional importance.
Global Agreements
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