The European Union and six of its member countries have formally ratified the United Nations High Seas Treaty, marking a substantial advancement in international efforts to safeguard marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The treaty aims to establish a global framework for the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs) across the high seas, which comprise nearly two-thirds of the world’s ocean.
The ratifications were officially submitted to the UN headquarters in New York and include those by the EU itself along with Portugal, Slovenia, Cyprus, Latvia, and Hungary. These latest endorsements bring the total number of ratifications to 28. The treaty requires ratification by 60 nations before it can enter into force.
Adopted in 2023 after more than a decade of negotiations, the High Seas Treaty seeks to regulate human activities in international waters, such as fishing, shipping, and resource exploitation, to ensure long-term environmental sustainability. Once in effect, it will provide legal backing for the designation and enforcement of MPAs, helping to mitigate the impacts of overfishing, pollution, and climate change.
Environmental groups welcomed the announcement, with campaigners highlighting the treaty as a pivotal tool in global ocean governance. Ruth Marie Hennings, an ocean advocate with Greenpeace Belgium, emphasized that the continued accumulation of ratifications reflects growing international consensus on the importance of ocean conservation.
She underscored the ecological and societal value of healthy oceans, pointing out their essential role in oxygen production, climate regulation, and sustaining livelihoods for billions of people. The announcement comes in the lead-up to the United Nations Ocean Summit, scheduled to take place from 9 to 13 June in Nice, France. The summit is expected to draw participation from numerous global leaders, with the High Seas Treaty likely to be a focal point of discussion amid rising concerns about marine ecosystem degradation.
The European Union has been a vocal supporter of the treaty, advocating for robust global commitments to marine conservation and the protection of biodiversity beyond borders. The collective ratification by multiple EU member states reinforces the bloc’s strategic approach to multilateral environmental agreements.
With just over half the necessary ratifications secured, further international momentum is required to activate the treaty. Once in force, it will represent the most comprehensive legal mechanism for conserving marine biodiversity in international waters, aligning with global targets to protect 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030. – By MENA Newswire News Desk.