The High Seas Treaty is now in force. Who is holding back on ratification?

On 17 January this year, the High Seas Treaty entered into force. It is the world’s first international pact aimed at protecting international waters, that is, seas and oceans belonging to no one, together with their unique ecosystems. Observers from around the world are expressing optimism, urging laggards to ratify the document as soon as possible.

More than 80 countries for ocean protection

In September 2025, after twenty years of difficult and complex negotiations, the High Seas Treaty obtained the required 60th ratification. It entered into force 120 days later, on 17 January 2026. In the meantime, the group of full members expanded to 83; in December, among others, China and Japan acceded to the Treaty.

The scale and importance of the High Seas Treaty cannot be overstated. Its territorial scope covers around two thirds of the world’s oceans, that is, all open waters located beyond the jurisdiction of individual coastal states. At present, only 1 percent of them are under protection, which creates the risk of neglect, overexploitation and unpunished pollution.

The High Seas Treaty, or protection against greed and recklessness

The status of waters belonging to no one meant that for many years states treated the open oceans as a bottomless treasury and the equivalent of the old Wild West. Predatory fishing, uncontrolled high-emission transport, mass plastic pollution and alarming plans for deep-sea mining have become a threat to the planet’s largest ecosystem.

The entry into force of the High Seas Treaty means that the signatory states must now jointly develop scientific research and technologies serving the protection of marine resources. All activities in international waters must be subject to thorough environmental impact assessments, and information on the biotechnological and genetic potential of underwater discoveries must be shared with other countries that have ratified the Treaty. The document also requires sustainable and responsible use of ocean resources.

As of Saturday, it has been possible to submit proposals for the establishment of new marine protected areas (MPAs). The methods of their monitoring and actual protection have not yet been specified, but intensive work is underway to establish a secretariat and a scientific committee. Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance, told the Associated Press that various options are being analysed, including satellite technologies, coordination of patrols between multiple countries, and the use of UN agencies to support oversight.

All indications suggest that the first Conference of the Parties to the Treaty (COP) will be organised in August, during which technical and budgetary decisions will be taken. The establishment of the first MPAs will most likely take place only at the subsequent ocean summit, COP2.

Laggards are losing

The High Seas Treaty has been signed by 145 countries, including small island states. Unfortunately, many signatories are dragging their feet on ratification, undermining the global effort for collective protection. One of the laggards is the United Kingdom. The resolution has stalled in the British parliament, prompting a loud protest by 18 environmental organisations.

The Treaty has also not been ratified by Australia, New Zealand and the United States, which under the leadership of Donald Trump are becoming synonymous with climate and environmental backwardness. The Polish government has signed the document but is delaying its finalisation. If, despite our appeals, the Polish authorities do not proceed promptly with ratification, Poland will not be among the countries that decide the fate of the open oceans, not only their protection, but also the way in which benefits are fairly shared, notes Andrzej Ginalski, Head of the Marine Team at WWF Poland.

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main photo: Marek Okon/Unsplash