Sat Sep 20 07:28:35 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**World’s First High Seas Treaty Set to Protect Marine Life After Key Ratification**
**United Nations, NY –** In a landmark achievement for ocean conservation, the world’s first-ever treaty dedicated to protecting marine biodiversity in international waters is poised to take effect on January 17, 2026. This follows Morocco’s ratification of the Marine Biodiversity Treaty, becoming the 60th nation to formally adopt the agreement.
The treaty will safeguard an area encompassing two-thirds of the world’s oceans, home to an estimated 10 million species, many of which remain undiscovered. It aims to address escalating threats to marine life, including climate change, over-fishing, and the controversial practice of deep-sea mining, which some nations, including the US under the Trump Administration, seek to expand.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the treaty as “a lifeline for the ocean and humanity,” emphasizing its binding rules to conserve marine biodiversity, fairly share benefits, create protected areas, and advance scientific understanding. He urged remaining nations to join the agreement without delay.
While the treaty has been signed by a further 122 countries, as well as the European Union, signaling their intention to ratify, challenges remain. The treaty lacks a dedicated enforcement body, relying instead on individual countries to regulate their own ships and companies. Experts emphasize the need for universal ratification to ensure its effectiveness.
Beyond establishing protected areas, the treaty addresses the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from marine biodiversity activities in international waters, particularly as deep-sea mining gains momentum. Environmentalists warn of the potentially devastating consequences of dredging the ocean floor, jeopardizing unique species and disrupting marine ecosystems. A growing number of countries, including island nations like the Marshall Islands and larger economies like Brazil and the United Kingdom, are calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining until its environmental impacts are fully understood.
The Marine Biodiversity Treaty represents a significant step in global efforts to combat environmental threats, despite resistance from some governments. Earlier this year, the UN’s shipping agency reached an agreement on fuel emissions standards for the maritime sector. However, challenges persist, as evidenced by the recent failure to reach an agreement on a landmark treaty to tackle plastic pollution.
Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, a leading voice in international climate law, celebrated the treaty’s entry into force, underscoring the interconnectedness of the ocean and its profound impact on all nations.
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