1. INTERNATIONAL WATERS:
A Discussion on opportunities & visions for enhancement of GEF focal area strategies re:
INTERNATIONAL WATERS:

2. THE DEFINITION OF INTERNATIONAL WATERS
“The terms international waters or trans-boundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water (or their drainage basins) transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regional seas and estuaries, rivers, lakes, groundwater systems (aquifers), and wetlands.
International waters have no sovereignty. No state controls it. Oceans, seas, and waters outside of National jurisdiction are also referred to as the high seas or in Latin, mare liberum (meaning free sea).”
*National jurisdictions retain the freedoms of fishing, navigation, overflight, laying cables and pipelines and research.

4. Some hazards affecting the seas and oceans
SEDIMENTATION
NUTRIFICATION
PLASTIC AND OTHER POLLUTION
ACIDIFICATION.
There’s also the stressors like
OVERFISHING,
GLACIAL MELTWATER (leading to temperature change at depth with resulting effect marine biodiversity. And recently
Algal blooms (Sargassum & Florida green)

6. CURRENT GEF STRATEGIES INCLUDE:
Restoring and sustaining coastal and marine fish stocks and associated biological diversity
Reducing nutrient over-enrichment and oxygen depletion from land-based pollution of coastal waters in Large Marine Ecosystems consistent with the Global Program of Action (GPA)
Balancing overuse and conflicting uses of water resources in surface and groundwater basins that are transboundary in nature
Reducing persistent toxic substances and testing adaptive management of waters with melting ice.

7. WHAT’S MISSING? (Our recommendations)
Clear regional or international statues that identifies or categorises transgressions and allows for the equivalent of deportation/extradition used in normal terrestrial law.
A global education programme to show the importance of preserving all water sources and repositories - and it should be accessible to schools, business communities, agencies and politicians.
A singular repository to assimilate all water related data (like pH, turbity, Dissolved oxygen levels, nutrient levels (to enable a real time heatmap available to all who developer parties.
A genetic stockpile - like the Doomsday Vault for plants, in case a region overloads (likely in the near future).