Oceans Unite: Landmark Treaty Set to Safeguard Marine Life

Fri Oct 10 2025 19:29:36 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The High Seas Treaty, aimed at protecting the planet's oceans and marine biodiversity, has crossed the final hurdle for enactment, marking a critical step forward in environmental conservation.

The High Seas Treaty, which seeks to protect international waters by establishing marine protected areas, has received its 60th ratification, enabling it to take effect next January. Celebrated as a monumental achievement by environmentalists, this agreement aims to reverse decades of damage to marine ecosystems and aligns with global efforts to protect biodiversity and combat the effects of climate change.

A global agreement designed to protect the world's oceans and reverse damage to marine life is set to become international law.

The High Seas Treaty received its 60th ratification by Morocco on Friday, meaning that it will now take effect from January.

The deal, which has been two decades in the making, will pave the way for international waters to be placed into marine protected areas.

Environmentalists heralded the milestone as a monumental achievement and evidence that countries can work together for environmental protection.

Covering more than two-thirds of the ocean, the agreement sets binding rules to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

Decades of overfishing, pollution from shipping and warming oceans from climate change have damaged life below the surface. In the latest assessment of marine species, nearly 10% were found to be at risk of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Three years ago, countries agreed that 30% of the world's national and international waters - high seas - must be protected by 2030 to help depleted marine life recover.

But protecting the high seas is challenging. No one country controls these waters, and all nations have a right to ship and fish there. Currently, just 1% of the high seas are protected, leaving marine life at risk from overexploitation.

In 2023, countries signed the High Seas Treaty pledging to put 30% of these waters into Marine Protected Areas.

With many nations requiring parliamentary approval, ratification can often take more than five years, but the acceptance of this treaty was achieved in record time.

Kirsten Schuijt, director general of WWF International, hailed the treaty's milestone as a positive catalyst for collaboration. Mads Christensen, executive director of Greenpeace International, emphasized that this is a landmark moment, showcasing that nations can unite for ocean conservation.

Once the treaty comes into force, countries will propose areas to be protected, which will then be voted on by the signatory nations. Despite critics pointing out potential challenges in environmental assessments, the treaty represents a monumental step forward for ocean protection.

The ocean plays a crucial role in the ecosystem, contributing significantly to the economy and providing a substantial portion of the oxygen we breathe.