Urge Global Governments to Ratify the High Seas Treaty

Authors:

Cristina Mittermeier, Co-founder of SeaLegacy

Jamie Goncalves, Science Communications & Partnerships at SeaLegacy

Hinano Teavai-Murphy, Cultural Director at Tetiaroa Society 

Frank Murphy, Director of Programs at Tetiaroa Society 

About the Resolution:

There is no question about the ecological importance that the ocean provides not only for humankind, but for the entire Earth. Half of the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean. Historically, the ocean has been falsely viewed as a vast and inexhaustible resource, leading to its overexploitation. Today, the ocean faces multiple threats from climate change, industrial fishing, bottom trawling, pollution, and deep sea mining. 

The target of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 (30x30) looms just a few years away. Achieving this goal is a critical step toward the broader vision of protecting 50% of the planet by 2030, under the Nature Needs Half initiative. This target is vital for addressing the dual biodiversity and climate crises as well as protecting the cultural integrity and food sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples.

With only 8% of the world’s oceans currently protected, securing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) has proven to be a complex task involving challenges in politics, funding, and enforcement. A major roadblock for MPA implementation has been the lack of jurisdiction in the high seas, which cover 64% of our oceans. The current Law of the Sea lacks a framework for establishing MPAs in the high seas and has no mention of the inclusion of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is therefore imperative to have a new vision for the protection of the high seas if we are to meet the 30x30 target. 

In September 2023, the United Nations signed the High Seas Treaty, potentially one of the largest conservation victories to date. If ratified, this treaty would provide the legal framework needed to implement MPAs in international waters while also integrating traditional knowledge with free, prior, and informed consent. However, for the treaty to enter into force, 60 countries must ratify it. As of December 2024, only 15 countries have ratified. 

In August 2024, we presented a resolution at WILD12, the 12th World Wilderness Congress. This resolution sets a deadline of June 2025 to ratify the High Seas Treaty, aligning with the UN Ocean Conference and the IUCN World Conservation Congress, which only happen once every few years.

This resolution was officially adopted by the delegates of WILD12. We invite everyone to add their names in support. This collective voice will be used as leverage as we urge countries to ratify the treaty by June 2025. This unified effort is crucial to ensuring that we secure the future of our oceans and the rights of those who have stewarded these waters for generations.