A landmark global treaty aimed at protecting biodiversity in the high seas officially enters into force on Saturday, giving countries a legally binding framework to tackle threats like overfishing and to meet the target of safeguarding 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030.
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The United Nations treaty, known as Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), was finalised in March 2023 after 15 years of negotiations. It enables the creation of a global network of marine protected areas in previously unregulated ocean regions in international waters.
A milestone moment for our ocean – and for all of us. Today, the #HighSeasTreaty enters into force. It aims to protect two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national borders. A great start to the New Year 💙 pic.twitter.com/dVVcIYuHGt
— WWF South Africa (@WWFSouthAfrica) January 17, 2026
Adam McCarthy, co-chair of the treaty’s preparatory committee, described the treaty as covering “two-thirds of the ocean” and “half the surface of the planet” for the first time under a comprehensive legal regime.
The treaty went into effect after reaching the threshold of 60 national ratifications on September 19, 2025, and has since been ratified by over 80 countries, including China, Brazil, and Japan. Britain and Australia are expected to follow, while the United States, which signed the treaty previously, has not yet ratified it.
Under the treaty, countries are required to conduct environmental assessments of activities affecting ocean ecology and establish mechanisms for sharing benefits from “marine genetic resources” used in industries such as biotechnology.
Rebecca Hubbard of the High Seas Alliance said that global ratification is essential to fully implement the treaty and achieve its objectives.
Environmentalists note that more than 190,000 protected areas will be needed to meet the “30 by 30” target. Currently, only about 8 per cent of oceans, roughly 29 million square kilometres, are formally protected.
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However, the treaty does not regulate seabed mining, which remains under the jurisdiction of the International Seabed Authority. McCarthy said: “The question of mining in the substrate or in the seabed simply belongs to the ISA. It’s not something where the BBNJ gets a role.”