For decades, this immense shared space lacked a unified system of protection. Governance relied on a patchwork of rules and institutions, leaving ocean biodiversity without a coordinated, fair, or effective framework.
That era has now changed.
The High Seas Treaty marks a turning point for the global ocean. For the first time, countries have come together under a shared set of rules designed to safeguard marine life in international waters while ensuring that the benefits of the ocean are shared equitably by all.
Under the Treaty, nations can now work collectively to establish Marine Protected Areas in the High Seas, require environmental impact assessments for activities that could harm marine ecosystems, promote sustainable and responsible use of ocean resources, and support cooperation so that countries can share knowledge, skills, technology, and the benefits arising from marine genetic resources.
In practical terms, the Treaty provides the tools needed to protect life in the largest part of our ocean. It ensures that no single country can benefit at the expense of others and that conservation and fairness move forward together.
The journey to this moment was driven by the High Seas Alliance, working alongside governments, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations, legal experts, and youth advocates from around the world. After years of collaboration and dialogue, the final text of the Treaty was agreed in March 2023.
In September 2025, the 60th country ratified the Treaty, triggering the countdown to its entry into force. One hundred and twenty days later, the Treaty officially became legally binding international law. The speed of ratification has been extraordinary. Reaching this milestone in just two years reflects a growing global understanding that the High Seas can no longer remain beyond protection.
These waters are not distant or empty. They are rich with life, from microscopic plankton to great whales. They include underwater mountains, vast deep sea plains and trenches, polar regions, and open ocean migration routes that connect ecosystems across the planet.
The High Seas play a vital role in regulating the climate, absorbing heat and carbon, driving weather systems, and supporting fisheries and livelihoods worldwide. Their health is inseparable from the health of Earth itself, especially as the world confronts climate change and biodiversity loss. Protecting the High Seas means protecting the natural systems that make life on our planet possible.
Before the Treaty, efforts to conserve biodiversity in international waters were limited and fragmented. Now, there is a clear legal pathway to turn ambition into action. The Treaty enables Marine Protected Areas to be created on the High Seas for the first time, allowing ecosystems the space to recover and thrive. It also establishes clear expectations for environmental impact assessments, transparency, and sustainability.
From today onward, governments are expected to apply the Treaty’s environmental standards to activities under their control and to promote those standards within the international bodies they participate in. This represents a powerful shift away from fragmented oversight toward shared responsibility.
The Treaty is also central to achieving the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030, widely known as 30 by 30. Marine Protected Areas in international waters are essential to reaching this target. They help restore biodiversity, strengthen ecosystem resilience, and support sustainable fisheries and coastal communities. By protecting the High Seas, the world moves significantly closer to meeting this ambitious goal.
At the same time, the Treaty strengthens the ocean’s role as a key ally in addressing climate change, helping stabilize the systems that communities everywhere depend on.
The High Seas Treaty stands as a powerful example of what is possible when nations work together. It transforms global biodiversity commitments into practical and enforceable outcomes, reflecting years of perseverance, cooperation, and shared purpose. Even in complex and uncertain times, this achievement shows that multilateral action can deliver meaningful results.
Entry into force is only the beginning. Attention now turns to building the Treaty’s institutions, decision making processes, and ways of working. These foundations will be considered at the first Conference of the Parties within the coming year, setting the stage for the establishment of the first Marine Protected Areas on the High Seas.
Momentum is already strong. With 82 Parties on board and more countries expected to join ahead of the first Conference of the Parties, each new ratification makes the Treaty more inclusive, more effective, and better equipped to protect the ocean for generations to come.
Today marks a historic step forward. It is proof that global cooperation can move beyond words and deliver real, enforceable commitments to protect our shared blue planet.
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