At a special High Seas Treaty event organized especially for the UN Oceans Conference, 18 countries deposited their instruments of ratification and brought the number of countries remaining for ratification to only 11.
Albania, Bahamas, Belgium, Croatia, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, Fiji, Malta, Mauritania, Vanuatu, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vietnam now join the 31 countries plus the European Union that have already deposited their ratification prior to the conference. This brings the total number of country ratifications to 49.
Following 60 ratifications, the Treaty will enter into force 120 days later. The first Conference of Parties (COP1) will follow within a year. Efforts are already underway to ensure that the Treaty will be set up in time, with a series of Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) sessions to agree on the different institutions and processes that will sit under the Treaty that shape how quickly global ambition can be translated into tangible results for ocean protection.
An additional 18 countries also signed the Treaty, marking their intention to ratify it in the future, taking the total number of signatories to 134.
The Treaty’s formal title is the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). It officially opened for signing and ratification in September 2023. France, co-hosting the UN Ocean Conference with Costa Rica, has made accelerating Treaty ratification a key deliverable, and has played a key diplomatic role in driving progress ahead of the conference.
“Today’s surge of ratifications for the High Seas Treaty is a tidal wave of hope and a huge cause for celebration,” said Rebecca Hubbard, Director of High Seas Alliance. “This marks a powerful victory for everyone who worked relentlessly to put High Seas protection at the heart of the global environmental agenda. Our deepest thanks go to the countries that stepped up and showed true political leadership of getting towards the first 60 to ratify the Treaty. While many international agreements take years to enter into force, the action here in Nice today is a testament to the global momentum and urgency of action for the ocean. With just 11 more ratifications needed for entry into force, it could be just a matter of weeks before the 60 is achieved.”
Covering nearly half the planet, the High Seas–the international waters that lie beyond countries’ maritime borders–are woefully underprotected. Only 1.5% are currently safeguarded within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The robust measures under the Treaty will be vital for achieving international agreements including Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and the Global Biodiversity Framework’s target to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030, both of which are a key focus for the conference.
“The UN Ocean Conference is a critical milestone to sustain and build on the high-level political momentum and public support for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement as soon as possible. We have made tremendous progress but must continue to push for a high number of ratifications, well beyond the 60 ratifications needed to bring the Agreement into force. Broad participation will ensure greater global buy-in and give the Agreement real power and effectiveness,“ said Rena Lee, Ambassador for International Law, Singapore.
The Minderoo Foundation announced a AUD 10 million (approximately USD $6.5 million) pledge to accelerate the creation of MPAs in the high seas. This commitment adds to the $51.7 million already committed in a joint donor pledge at CBD COP16 last year – bringing the total amount committed by 12 funders to kickstart the development of MPAs on the high seas to $58.2 million, the largest amount ever committed to high seas conservation.
To help accelerate the creation of MPAs under the High Seas Treaty, Bloomberg Ocean Initiative announced it will fund a Secretariat for the BBNJ First Movers, a government collaborative committed to fast-tracking the creation of high seas MPAs in priority biodiversity hotspots. The functions of the Secretariat will be carried out by the National Resources Defense Council.
“Minderoo Foundation’s pledge sends a clear message that planning for marine protected areas in the high seas needs to start immediately if we are to make meaningful progress towards 30×30,” Minderoo Foundation founder Dr. Andrew Forrest AO said. “We are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our 11 fellow philanthropies in this important pledge to fast-track the establishment of marine protected areas outside of national waters. Now it’s time for nations to do their part and accelerate their ratification of the High Seas Treaty.”
