5. Question No. 5—Foreign AffairsHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsQuestion No. 5—Foreign Affairs5. Hon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Will Aotearoa New Zealand be supporting a target of protection for 30 percent of the world's oceans in negotiations on the Global Oceans Treaty at the United Nations in March; if not why not? Hon DAVID PARKER (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Aotearoa New Zealand is committed to seeking the conclusion of a new United Nations agreement on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. The convention is needed to halt the ongoing decline that we see in these areas and to promote restoration as well as sustainable use of marine biodiversity in these areas beyond national jurisdiction—the long title is sometimes shortened to BBNJ. We're seeking wording in both the BBNJ and the concurrent negotiations towards a new global biodiversity framework that reflects strong qualitative elements as well as an acknowledgment of indigenous rights. The 30 percent proposal is under consideration. Hon Eugenie Sage: Does the Minister recognise the value of marine protected areas on the high seas in protecting habitats and species helping fish stocks recover and providing resilience with a changing climate and rising sea surface temperatures and if not why not? Hon DAVID PARKER: Yes—absolutely. But we're advised and we accept advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that in order to have an effective convention you need strong qualitative elements not just targets. I'm not decrying the importance of targets but without qualitative elements to support outcomes that include ecological representation and connectivity and management effectiveness the convention just would not work. Hon Eugenie Sage: What is the Minister's view on the commitment in the Carbis Bay communique from the G7 summit in Cornwall last June to champion ambitious and effective … biodiversity targets including … protecting … at least 30 per cent of the global ocean by 2030."? Hon DAVID PARKER: As I'm answering that on behalf of the Minister I'm not aware of that particular quote. Hon Eugenie Sage: Does the Minister agree that the Government has a strong public mandate to push for a target of 30 percent of the world's oceans being protected by 2030 after the delivery of a 60000-signature petition in support to Parliament last week; if not why not? Hon DAVID PARKER: On behalf of the Minister: I was alongside the member when that petition was delivered to Parliament and valued the civil expression of civil society's support for doing more in that area and we support that ambition. Hon Eugenie Sage: Point of order. I think the Minister is mistaken. That was a bottom-trawling petition. There was another petition delivered to Minister Mahuta and myself and Golriz Ghahraman last week. Hon DAVID PARKER: Mr Speaker speaking to the point of order that's exactly what I was referring to. SPEAKER: A further supplementary? Hon Eugenie Sage: How does she respond—how does he respond—to the 2016 resolution of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature supporting a network of representative protected marine areas covering at least 30 percent of each marine habitat with "the ultimate aim of creating a fully sustainable ocean at least 30% of which has no extractive activities"? Hon DAVID PARKER: On behalf of the Minister: as I've previously said it's important that this goal which is the protection in areas beyond national jurisdiction is achieved in a way that doesn't undermine existing rules and institutions including the likes of the Antarctic Treaty and that it properly factors in Māori interests and supports Pacific aspirations. That said the current mandate does not explicitly refer to the 30 percent target but Cabinet will be considering that before the next round of the negotiations in the next few months. Hon Eugenie Sage: If Cabinet hasn't yet made a decision on the mandate for a 30 percent target what does the Minister see as major requirements for a strong and effective global oceans treaty and will it include provision for a robust process for environmental impact assessment of damaging human activities such as deep-sea mining; if not why not? Hon DAVID PARKER: I've already addressed parts of that question in a number of the supplementaries and I would just emphasise that it's important that there are effective mechanisms sitting in the treaty to make sure that it's not just hot air."