High Seas Treaty officially ratified

The United Nations’ BBNJ Agreement – also known as the High Seas Treaty – has been officially ratified after four new countries – Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone and Morocco – brought the total number of ratifications to the 60 needed for the agreement to come into force.

The treaty’s formal name – the ‘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’ – was signed into existence in June 2023, after nearly twenty years of negotiation, but required 60 signatories to be ratified.

The High Seas Treaty permits member states to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters, something that – until now – has only been possible within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of a country’s territory.

The treaty will legally come into force on 17 January 2026, meaning that countries that have ratified the treaty must ensure it is enshrined within their own national laws.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the development, calling it a ‘historic achievement for the ocean and for multilateralism.’

‘This historic moment is the culmination of years of dedication and global diplomacy by governments and stakeholders,’ said Rebecca Hubbard, Director of the High Seas Alliance. 

‘The High Seas Treaty is a powerful testament to multilateralism- showing what the world can achieve when we come together for the common good of our ocean. Today marks an important step when promises start becoming action.’

The 60 ratifications required have been received just over two years since the treaty opened for signatures on 20 September 2023, with Palau being the first country to formally ratify the agreement on 22 January 2024.

A total of 142 countries, plus the European Union, have signed their intent to adopt the treaty, and more ratifications are expected at the UN General Assembly meeting taking place in New York this week.

A Conference of the Parties (CoP) must now take place within a year of the treaty’s starting date, at which discussions to start building the legal framework around protecting the open ocean will take place.

Locations already under consideration for protection include the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges, the Lord Howe Rise and South Tasman Sea, the Sargasso Sea and the Thermal Dome in the Eastern Pacific.

‘Achieving 60 ratifications is not the finish line – it’s just the starting block,’ said Hubbard. ‘The Treaty’s true strength lies in universal participation.

‘While we must celebrate this incredible progress, we urge all remaining nations to join this historic Agreement and help us go from 60 to global ahead of the first CoP.’

The post High Seas Treaty officially ratified appeared first on DIVE Magazine.