France and Spain Lead EU in Ratifying Landmark High Seas Treaty

France and Spain Lead EU in Ratifying Landmark High Seas Treaty

France and Spain have become the first European Union nations to ratify the United Nations High Seas Treaty, a crucial agreement designed to safeguard vast areas of ocean beyond national borders. This treaty is a key step toward achieving the global goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.

For the treaty to take full effect, at least 60 countries must ratify it. So far, 17 nations—including Chile, Cuba, the Maldives, Panama, Singapore, and Timor-Leste—have fully endorsed the treaty. While 108 countries, including the UK and Australia, have signed the agreement, they have yet to formally enshrine it into law. Campaigners are pushing for full ratification by the next United Nations Ocean Conference in June 2025.

The high seas cover two-thirds of the world’s ocean and are home to diverse marine life, from migratory fish to some of the planet’s largest marine mammals. They play a vital role in carbon storage and nutrient cycling, helping regulate the Earth’s climate. These waters also contain deep-sea habitats and ecosystems that remain largely unexplored.

Officially known as the BBNJ Agreement (short for “Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction”), the treaty was adopted on June 19, 2023. It is currently the most comprehensive legal framework aimed at protecting the ocean’s shared resources.

France, which will co-host the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice this June, is set to play a central role in advancing ocean protection efforts. The conference will bring together UN member states, international organizations, private sector representatives, and environmental advocates to address the growing threats facing the ocean, including climate change, pollution, and overexploitation of marine resources.

“Protecting the ocean means safeguarding an immense carbon sink and unparalleled biodiversity,” said French President Emmanuel Macron. “It also offers hope to those whose lives depend on our seas and to future generations who will face rising sea levels.”

With growing international momentum, the push for widespread ratification of the High Seas Treaty continues as nations work to secure long-term protection for the world’s oceans.