UN Global Treaty on Ocean Conservation Takes Effect

The treaty’s bodies and decision-making processes are currently being shaped by the U.N. Preparatory Commission.

This photograph shows the sky during sunrise over the Mediterranean Sea, off the Italian coasts on Jan. 3, 2026. Photo by Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP via Getty Images

The High Seas Treaty, a global initiative to protect the world’s oceans, came into effect on Jan. 17.

The U.N. treaty seeks to govern nearly half the planet’s surface, the high seas which lie beyond borders, and two-thirds of the world’s ocean. It’s a first-of-its-kind framework meant to safeguard biodiversity in international waters and ensure that nations around the globe share its benefits and resources fairly.

As of Jan. 17, 145 nations have signed the treaty, and 83 have ratified it. The United States has signed the treaty but has not ratified it.

Singapore’s ambassador for international law, Rena Lee, served as president of the High Seas Treaty negotiations and helped direct nations to its adoption in 2023.

“Global cooperation is not a choice, it is a necessity. This treaty embodies hope, resolve, and a shared commitment to a brighter future for the ocean and our planet,” Lee said in a statement.

The treaty outlines how to create marine protected areas, establishes clear obligations for the sustainable use of ocean resources, and sets boundaries for fair sharing. The treaty’s goal is to protect 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030.

Several legal measures for member nations take effect.

One example of an actionable obligation that began on Jan. 17 is conducting environmental impact assessments that meet the treaty’s standards. Any planned activity under a government’s control that could affect the high seas or seabeds must be publicly announced.

Countries must also follow conservation goals in other international areas of the oceans that regulate activities, such as shipping lanes, fisheries, and seabed mining.

Director of the High Seas Alliance Rebecca Hubbard said protecting the oceans means protecting humanity’s future. The Alliance was founded in 2011 and has more than 70 nongovernmental members.

“We’re only just beginning to understand how important this vast, interconnected world is for the health of our entire planet,” Hubbard said.

“Whether it’s underwater mountains, deep-sea plains and trenches, the icy polar waters, or the open-ocean highways that migratory species travel, the high seas are as vital as they are immense.”

The treaty’s bodies and decision-making processes are currently being shaped by the U.N. Preparatory Commission. Proposals are set to be adopted at a U.N. climate-related conference from Nov. 9 to Nov. 20 in Turkey.

Until then, countries are encouraged to start identifying areas that require protection and bring those proposals to the conference.

“The high seas are full of life- from tiny plankton all the way up to the great whales that rely on them,” Hubbard said.

“With the high seas treaty now coming into force, we finally have the tools to safeguard this extraordinary part of our planet.”

The High Seas Treaty’s impact depends on how well it’s implemented and upheld, according to the statement. The group is hoping more countries will sign onto the initiative.