High seas biodiversity treaty clears key hurdle, paving way for protections in international waters

A landmark treaty to protect marine biodiversity in international waters has moved closer to effect after enough governments ratified it to trigger the clock on its entry into force. Formally titled the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, the treaty is the first legally binding accord aimed at safeguarding ecosystems beyond national jurisdiction. Those waters account for roughly two-thirds of the ocean and nearly half the planet’s surface. Until now, there was no comprehensive legal framework to create marine protected areas or enforce conservation in the high seas. The agreement also advances the global 30x30 target to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030, and it lays out a process for establishing marine protected areas, including rules for activities such as deep-sea mining and geoengineering, along with provisions for technology sharing, funding and scientific collaboration. Decisions under the treaty are to be made multilaterally through a conference of the parties rather than by individual countries acting alone.

Ratification on Friday by the 60th nation triggered a 120-day countdown before the treaty enters into force. Countries can begin planning high seas protected areas, but formal proposals will move forward only after oversight mechanisms and decision-making rules are established. The first conference of the parties must be held within a year of the treaty taking effect, and it will lay the groundwork for governance, financing and the creation of key bodies to evaluate marine protection proposals. Environmental groups say more ratifications will strengthen the treaty’s implementation and ensure broader representation, noting that only signatories ratifying by the first conference will be eligible to vote on critical decisions about how the treaty operates.

Under the agreement, nations would be able to establish marine protected areas in international waters, regulate activities like deep-sea mining and geoengineering, and require cooperation on scientific research and technology transfer. It also creates a framework for funding and sharing expertise to support conservation and monitoring of high-seas ecosystems. Decisions will be taken at the conference of the parties through multilateral consensus to ensure a coordinated, science-based approach to biodiversity protection beyond national borders.

'Until now, it has been the wild west on the high seas,' said Megan Randles, Greenpeace's global political lead for oceans. 'Now we have a chance to properly put protections in place.' Environmental advocates say broader ratification and robust funding will determine the treaty's effectiveness in concert with the 30x30 goal.

Supporters say the agreement is essential to meeting the 30x30 pledge and to safeguarding vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems from warming oceans, overfishing and mining attempts. The treaty would establish enforcement mechanisms and a framework for scientific collaboration, while offering support for nations hardest hit by climate change. Proponents say it would turn a patchwork of national rules into a coherent, international regime for ocean protection.

With the first conference of the parties expected within a year of entry into force, governments will finalize governance structures, financing mechanisms and the rules governing implementation. As more nations ratify, the treaty's legitimacy and reach should grow, strengthening its ability to deter destructive activities and protect biodiversity on the high seas for generations to come.