High sea treaty is turning point in global ocean governance

New Delhi:-The world’s first legally binding treaty to protect marine life in international waters, known as the High Seas Treaty, has officially come into force on January 17, 2026.

Formally called the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the UN-backed treaty creates a global framework to conserve and sustainably use ocean areas that lie beyond national boundaries. These regions account for over two-thirds of the ocean’s surface and nearly 90 per cent of Earth’s habitat by volume.

The treaty became legally binding 120 days after at least 60 countries ratified it. So far, 81 nations have completed ratification, committing to implement its provisions through national laws.

The agreement aims to curb overfishing, marine pollution and deep-sea exploitation, and strengthens protection for fragile ecosystems in the high seas , areas that were previously largely unregulated.

UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen welcomed the development, calling it a major milestone. “Our ocean is the foundation of our very existence. Today we took an important step forward to save our ocean, and to save our future,” she said.

The BBNJ Agreement builds on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, often described as the “constitution for the oceans.” It will support global biodiversity goals, including the pledge to protect 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Under the treaty, countries must conduct environmental impact assessments before undertaking activities in international waters. It also establishes a mechanism to create marine protected areas (MPAs) on the high seas. Currently, only about 1 per cent of these waters are protected.

MPAs are defined areas managed to conserve marine biodiversity and ecosystem health. Some already exist, such as six MPAs in the Northeast Atlantic created in 2010, and the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area in the Southern Ocean, established in 2016 and covering 1.5 million square kilometres.

The treaty provides a scientific and consultative process to propose new protected zones, potentially expanding conservation coverage significantly.

The agreement comes amid growing concern over ocean pollution. More than 17 million metric tonnes of plastic entered the oceans in 2021, accounting for 85 per cent of marine litter, according to UN data. Without action, plastic waste could double or triple by 2040, and by 2050, oceans could contain more plastic than fish.

Not all major economies have ratified the treaty yet. The United States, which signed the agreement in 2023, has not completed Senate approval. India adopted the treaty in 2024, but domestic ratification is still pending.

The United Kingdom introduced legislation in 2025, though parliamentary approval has not yet been finalised. Russia has neither adopted nor ratified the treaty, citing concerns over existing governance frameworks and freedom of navigation.

Despite these gaps, the treaty’s entry into force is being seen as a turning point in global ocean governance, offering new hope for protecting marine life in some of the planet’s most vulnerable and least regulated regions.