International Protection of the High Seas, sanctioned by 60 nations, takes effect in January as per United Nations agreement. - International Agreement on Protecting the Deep Ocean Seas, the UN Convention for the Protection of the High Seas, becomes effective starting January, after being ratified by 60 countries.
The United Nations has reached a significant milestone in marine conservation with the establishment of the High Seas Protection Agreement. After more than 15 years of negotiations, UN member states agreed on the treaty in March 2023.
The High Seas Protection Agreement aims to safeguard marine areas that currently lack significant protection regulations, particularly the approximately 60 percent of ocean areas that fall outside individual countries' exclusive economic zones. As of mid-September, over 140 countries, including Morocco and Sierra Leone, have signed the agreement.
One of the key provisions of the treaty is the requirement for assessing the environmental impacts of activities in the high seas. This includes activities such as the exploitation of seabed resources, which must undergo an assessment before being carried out.
The agreement will come into force after a period of 120 days once ratified by 60 other states. As of September 2025, the treaty has reached the necessary 60 state ratifications, including Morocco and Sierra Leone. However, the United States has yet to ratify the agreement.
Germany was among the first signatories, but ratification is still pending for many countries. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed support for global ratification of the treaty to make it as effective as possible.
Notably, the High Seas Protection Agreement creates protected areas outside the exclusive economic zones of individual countries for the first time. This marks a significant step forward in global marine conservation efforts.
However, not all countries are on board. Russia has not signed the High Seas Protection Agreement, rejecting parts of it. The USA, under the government of then-President Joe Biden, signed the agreement, but it is unlikely that the successor Donald Trump will ratify it.
The High Seas Protection Agreement is a crucial step towards protecting the marine environment and preserving its biodiversity. With more countries ratifying the treaty, we can hope for a future where more of the world's oceans are protected and sustainably managed.
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