High Seas Treaty comes into force, allowing protection of international waters

An international agreement known as the High Seas Treaty has come into effect, marking the first time that international waters outside any country’s jurisdiction can be formally protected. The treaty covers waters that the article says lie outside national jurisdiction and cover nearly half the globe; the high seas make up two‑thirds of all ocean area, less than 10 percent of which is currently protected.

After more than two decades of discussion and formal negotiations beginning in 2017, the treaty makes it possible for countries to create environmentally protected zones in international waters and includes requirements for new ocean industries. Its entry into force coincides with the United States reviewing a company’s application to explore the deep sea floor for minerals, though seabed mining is generally covered by a separate treaty and the authority for that has not approved any commercial activity.

Ratification reached a milestone when Morocco became the 60th country to ratify the treaty in September, triggering a 120‑day countdown; the article says 83 countries have now ratified it, while the United States has not. Countries that ratified have pledged to cooperate and uphold the treaty, though the piece notes that options for enforcing such international laws are limited.

Key Topics

World, High Seas Treaty, Morocco, International Seabed Authority, Seabed Mining, Salas Y Gómez