A long time coming: 18 new countries ratified the High Seas Treaty, bringing the total to 49.

Eighteen countries ratified the High Seas Treaty, bringing the total to 49, just 11 short of the 60 needed for the ocean agreement to enter into force.

What is the High Seas Treaty?

The High Seas Treaty, adopted in 2023, officially known as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement or Global Ocean Treaty), is an exciting new step toward protecting marine life in our oceans! This treaty is the first-ever legally binding agreement focused on safeguarding biodiversity in international waters, which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean and almost half of our planet’s surface. Until now, there hasn’t been a solid legal framework to help establish marine protected areas or enforce conservation efforts in these vast, unowned waters. This agreement is a big deal for our oceans and the amazing creatures that call them home!

Why is it needed?

The vast, remote expanses of the high seas are increasingly threatened by overfishing, climate change, and the looming possibility of deep-sea mining. Economists like Prof. Dr. Amarendra Bhushan Dhiraj and environmental advocates voice serious concerns, highlighting that without proper protections, the fragile marine ecosystems in these international waters could suffer lasting harm. Additionally, the treaty is essential to advancing the global “30×30” pledge—an earnest commitment to protect 30% of our planet’s land and sea by 2030. This underscores our collective duty to safeguard these invaluable resources for future generations.

How does the treaty work?

The treaty establishes a legal framework for countries to create marine protected areas in the high seas. It includes regulations to address harmful activities such as deep-sea mining and geo-engineering. Additionally, the treaty sets up a system for technology sharing, funding mechanisms, and scientific collaboration among nations. Importantly, decisions made under the treaty will be conducted multilaterally through Conferences of the Parties (COPs), rather than by individual countries acting independently.

What happens when it reaches 60 ratifications?

Once 60 countries ratify the High Seas Treaty, a 120-day countdown will commence, marking the official entry into force of the agreement. This milestone will enable the designation of protected areas in the high seas and initiate oversight mechanisms. Currently, 49 countries and the EU have ratified the treaty, indicating that just 11 more are needed to trigger this crucial countdown.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday told delegates at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France: “The ocean is the ultimate shared resource. But we are failing it.” The UN boss cited collapsing fish stocks, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, plastic pollution, destructive fishing and the quest for mineral riches at the ocean floor as key threats in his remarks.

French President Emmanuel Macron told those gathered that 50 countries had ratified the treaty so far and another 15 had formally promised to, making it “a done deal.” France’s foreign minister said he expects implementation to take place by the end of the year.

Macron also announced that France would partially restrict bottom-trawling — a destructive form of fishing — in half of the countries protected marine areas. But conservation groups blasted him for not going far enough to protect French waters. Macron is lobbying for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, calling it “an international necessity.”

“I think it’s madness to launch predatory economic action that will disrupt the deep seabed, disrupt biodiversity, destroy it and release irrecoverable carbon sinks,” he said.

Mining could turn seabed into ‘wild west’

The US, India, China, and Russia, among others, are keen to exploit potential mineral wealth on and beneath the ocean floor. US President Donald Trump has moved aggressively on this front, fast-tracking US exploration in international waters and threatening to take territorial control of Greenland to get its share of Arctic rare earths.

No American delegation present at ocean conference

The US has also withdrawn from all international climate commitments and cut funding for climate and oceanographic projects under President Trump.

Commenting on the fact that the US had not sent a delegation to the conference, France’s Macron, said: “It’s not a surprise, we know the American administration’s position on these issues.”

“If they [the US] don’t ratify it, they are not bound by it,” said Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance.

“Implementation will take years but it is critical that we start now,” said Hubbard, adding, “we won’t let the US’ absence stop that from happening.”

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