Is the world being destroyed?

The Guardian reports on new findings that take issue with the often seen claims about nanoplastics within the human body – bloodstream, placenta, brain, etc. I've posted a lot of articles making these claims so here's my mea culpa. And while it might be good news, it doesn't obviate other damage that microplastics are doing to the environment. I'll be waiting to read follow-up research.

‘A bombshell’: doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout human body


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And, just to break any temporary feeling of relief possibly derived from the information about nan0plastics above:

Something positive*:
The high seas are home to nature's greatest treasures, but until now they have not been protected.
Now, 120 days after the required number of states ratified it, the BBNJ Agreement on the high seas comes into force.

AGREEMENT UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA ON THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF MARINE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF AREAS BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION

* Partly positive since
- 51 of the 198 UN member states have not even signed the BBNJ, including Russia and the Gulf states,
- others, such as the US, Canada, India and Australia, have signed but not yet ratified it.
And in the case of the US, which currently prefers to opt out of international agreements rather than opt in, this is also rather questionable.

The agreement, officially named the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), supplements the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – and is more than just a diplomatic success: it is the first real opportunity to finally put an end to the overexploitation of the Earth's largest ecosystem and thus comprehensively protect the oceans and their inhabitants.

To date, only about one per cent of international waters are under protection. The situation is different in national waters, where around 20 per cent have already been designated as protected areas.

With the agreement, marine protected areas can now be designated, environmental impact assessments introduced and rules established governing the use of marine resources. One goal is to have 30 per cent of the ocean under protection by 2030.

At least on paper, it is now regulated that no one can simply use international waters anymore. This is a rule that countries can otherwise enact for areas over which they have sovereignty; in international waters, this has been difficult until now. If states do not comply, it is much riskier for them, as the agreement is binding under international law.

The fact that 145 countries have already signed the agreement and 83 countries have ratified it in such a short time – including China and many landlocked countries – is a strong sign.

In addition to protecting the oceans, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of life and interactions below the water's surface. Many of the species that are still largely unknown are a mystery, and some of them have not even been scientifically described.

The agreement reinforces the importance of research. The treaty stipulates that decisions on protective measures and use must be based on scientific findings.