What's happened
The High Seas Treaty, governing nearly half the planet's surface, has officially come into force with 83 countries ratifying it, including China and Japan. It aims to protect marine biodiversity, establish Marine Protected Areas, and promote sustainable ocean use amid mounting threats like pollution and overfishing.
What's behind the headline?
The entry into force of the High Seas Treaty marks a significant milestone in global ocean governance, establishing the first comprehensive legal regime for international waters. While the broad ratification signals international support, the treaty's effectiveness hinges on the implementation and enforcement of protected areas. Major powers like the U.S. remain non-ratifying, which could weaken global efforts. The treaty's focus on scientific cooperation and capacity-building is promising, but operational details such as monitoring protected areas are yet to be finalized. This development underscores a rare moment of consensus in a divided world, emphasizing that environmental protection can transcend political rivalries. The next critical step is the establishment of operational bodies and enforcement mechanisms, which will determine whether the treaty can meet its ambitious conservation goals, including protecting 30% of the oceans by 2030.
What the papers say
AP News highlights the treaty's formal entry into force and the commitments of ratifying countries, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and the challenges ahead. The Independent provides context on the treaty's scope, the current protected areas, and the urgency of protecting two-thirds of the oceans to meet global conservation targets, warning that enforcement remains a key challenge. Reuters offers a detailed overview of the treaty's legal framework, the significance of the ratification process, and the ongoing debates about resource extraction, particularly seabed mining, which the treaty does not directly regulate. The contrasting perspectives underscore the treaty's potential to protect marine biodiversity while highlighting the hurdles in enforcement and the geopolitical complexities involved.
How we got here
The treaty, also known as Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), was finalized in March 2023 after 15 years of negotiations. It creates a legal framework for protecting vast, unregulated ocean ecosystems in international waters, covering about two-thirds of the world's oceans and millions of species. Ratification reached the threshold of 60 countries in September 2025, with over 80 now onboard, including major maritime nations. The U.S. has signed but not ratified, limiting its participation to observer status. The treaty emphasizes environmental assessments, sharing of marine resources, and the creation of Marine Protected Areas, though enforcement mechanisms are still under development.
Go deeper
Common question
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What Does the New High Seas Treaty Mean for Ocean Protection?
The recent entry into force of the High Seas Treaty marks a significant milestone in global efforts to safeguard our oceans. With 83 countries ratifying the treaty, it aims to establish Marine Protected Areas, combat pollution, and promote sustainable use of marine resources. But what does this mean for the future of ocean conservation? Below, we explore key questions about the treaty's impact, the countries involved, and the next steps in protecting our planet's vast marine ecosystems.
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Rebecca Allana Hubbard is an American biostatistician whose research interests include observational studies and the use of electronic health record data in public health analysis and decision-making, accounting for the errors in this type of data.
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The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
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Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
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China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.4 billion in 2019.