shuí谁yōng yǒu拥有hǎi yáng海洋de的jī yīn基因cái fù财富？
The High Seas Treaty will take effect in 2026.
This treaty aims to protect life in the high seas and also hopes that everyone can fairly share the benefits brought by marine genetic resources.
The high seas are vast, covering about half of the Earth.
Genetic resources from the deep sea can be used to make new medicines and industrial materials, and may also help agricultural development, so they are very valuable.
However, many developing countries do not have advanced ships, equipment, or technology, so it is difficult for them to take part in deep-sea research.
As a result, the countries that truly benefit may still be only a small number of wealthy nations.
Although the treaty mentions technical assistance, training, and fair sharing, many of the rules are still unclear.
For example, who is allowed to use data from deep-sea organisms?
How should profits be shared after commercial gains are made?
Some people believe that developing countries can ask the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for an advisory opinion to clarify the rights and responsibilities of each country.
This could help these countries have more power in future negotiations, and it could also ensure that high seas resources do not belong only to technologically advanced countries, but instead serve the whole world more fairly.