UN Treaty for Marine Life Protection Set to Come into Force

Historic United Nations Treaty to Protect Marine Diversity in International Waters

A landmark United Nations treaty aimed at safeguarding marine biodiversity in international waters is set to come into force after 81 governments have agreed to incorporate it into their national legislations. As of now, 148 countries, representing over three-quarters of all UN member states, have signed the High Seas Treaty, which was adopted in June 2023.

Among the countries that have fully ratified the treaty are island nations such as Palau, Cuba, and the Maldives, as well as some of the world's largest economies, including China, Germany, Japan, France, and Brazil. Officially known as the “Agreement for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction” (BBNJ), the treaty provides new protections for an area covering two-thirds of the world's oceans, potentially benefiting up to 10 million different species, many of which remain unidentified.

Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance, a non-governmental organization that supports the treaty, stated that the agreement offers a way to protect an “extraordinary part of our planet.” “The High Seas are full of life, from microscopic plankton to giant whales that depend on them,” Hubbard noted. “We are just beginning to understand how important this vast and interconnected domain is for the health of the entire planet,” she added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres previously described the treaty as “a lifesaver for the ocean and humanity,” given the threats it faces, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. “Covering more than two-thirds of the ocean, the agreement establishes imperative rules for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, aims to share benefits more equitably, create protected areas, and advance science and capacity building,” Guterres said, urging governments that have yet to ratify to do so swiftly.

The United States, which signed the agreement in 2023, is among the nations that have not yet ratified it, alongside India, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Countries that have signed but not ratified the treaty are not legally bound to fulfill its requirements, but they are expected to refrain from activities that contradict its objectives.