After more than two decades of negotiations, the world’s oceans are poised to enter a new era of protection. On Friday, September 19, 2025, Morocco and Sierra Leone delivered the decisive 60th and 61st ratifications of the High Seas Treaty, a landmark United Nations agreement designed to safeguard marine biodiversity in international waters. With this threshold crossed, the treaty will officially enter into force in January 2026, establishing the first-ever legal framework to conserve and sustainably use the vast stretches of ocean that lie beyond any single nation’s jurisdiction.
According to BBC News, the High Seas Treaty covers more than two-thirds of the world’s oceans—nearly half the planet’s surface. These waters, often described as the globe’s “largest crime scene” due to their lack of oversight and enforcement, have suffered decades of overfishing, pollution, and the mounting impacts of climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that nearly 10% of marine species are now at risk of extinction, underscoring the urgency for collective action.
The treaty’s journey began in earnest in September 2023, following a commitment by UN member states to establish “legally binding rules to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity, share benefits from marine genetic resources more fairly, create protected areas, and strengthen scientific cooperation and capacity building.” As Le Monde reports, the agreement was finalized after two decades of arduous negotiation, culminating in a rapid ratification process, especially considering that many nations require parliamentary approval—a step that can often take years. Elizabeth Wilson, senior director for environmental policy at The Pew Charitable Trust, remarked at the UN Oceans Conference that the pace of ratification was “record time.”
Morocco’s ratification, closely followed by Sierra Leone’s, triggered a 120-day countdown for the treaty to take effect. This swift entry into force is being hailed as a victory for environmental multilateralism and a testament to international cooperation. French diplomatic efforts, led by President Emmanuel Macron, played a role in accelerating the process, with hopes initially pinned on reaching the threshold during the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice earlier in June 2025.
The treaty’s provisions are far-reaching. It establishes a legal mechanism for countries to propose and vote on the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters, aiming to place 30% of the world’s national and international waters under protection by 2030—a target set by countries three years ago. Currently, just 1% of the high seas enjoy such protections, leaving marine life vulnerable to overexploitation. Once in force, nations that have ratified the treaty will gather within a year to make pivotal decisions about implementation, financing, and oversight, with voting rights reserved for those early adopters.
“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 stated, as quoted by BBC News. Environmentalists worldwide have lauded the achievement. Kirsten Schuijt, director-general of the World Wide Fund for Nature, called it “a monumental achievement for ocean conservation” and emphasized that the treaty “will be a positive catalyst for collaboration across international waters and agreements and is a turning point for two-thirds of the world's ocean that lie beyond national jurisdiction.”
Greenpeace International’s executive director, Mads Christensen, echoed this sentiment, describing it as “a landmark moment” and “proof that countries can come together to protect our blue planet.” He added, “The era of exploitation and destruction must end. Our oceans can't wait and neither can we.”
But the celebration is tempered by concerns over the treaty’s strength and enforceability. As reported by AP and EdexLive, some of the world’s most powerful maritime nations—including the United States, China, Russia, and Japan—have signed the treaty, signaling their intent to support its aims, but have not yet ratified it. Without their formal commitment, some experts worry the treaty’s influence may be diminished. The United States signed under President Joe Biden’s administration, but efforts to secure ratification have faced opposition, notably from the previous administration.
Enforcement remains a sticking point. The treaty does not create a separate punitive authority; instead, it relies on individual countries to police their own ships and corporations operating in international waters. Johan Bergenas, senior vice president of oceans at the World Wildlife Fund, was quoted by AP describing the high seas as “the world’s largest crime scene—they’re unmanaged, unenforced, and a regulatory legal structure is absolutely necessary.” Some experts warn that nations could use the treaty to delay or avoid conservation activities in their own waters, or that without robust enforcement, harmful practices like deep-sea mining and geoengineering could continue unchecked.
Nonetheless, the treaty marks a critical turning point. It creates a framework for technology transfer, funding mechanisms, and international scientific collaboration. Decisions will be made multilaterally at conferences of parties (COPs), moving away from the old model of individual nations acting alone. The first such conference is expected to convene within a year of the treaty’s entry into force, where nations will hash out the details of implementation, financing, and oversight.
As BBC News notes, the ocean is not just a home for marine life—it is essential for the survival of all organisms on Earth. It is the largest ecosystem, contributing an estimated $2.5 trillion to global economies and providing up to 80% of the oxygen we breathe. The High Seas Treaty represents a collective recognition of this reality and a commitment to reversing the damage caused by decades of neglect and exploitation.
While the road ahead is uncertain and challenges remain, the world’s oceans now have a fighting chance. The treaty’s rapid ratification, despite a turbulent international context and the absence of some major powers, stands as a testament to what is possible when nations unite for a common cause. As countries prepare to propose new marine protected areas and set the stage for the first high seas COP, the world will be watching closely to see if this ambitious agreement can deliver on its promise to protect the blue heart of our planet.