The UN High Seas Protection Agreement has reached the required number of 60 ratifications. This means that the treaty to protect the oceans will come into force in 120 days. This is a historic milestone. By 2030, 30% of the oceans are to be under protection.

The UN High Seas Protection Agreement has reached the required number of 60 ratifications. This was announced by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the UN website. The ratifications required for the agreement to enter into force came from Sri Lanka, the island group of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, and Morocco. "Exploitation and destruction must come to an end. The UN High Seas Protection Agreement is a historic milestone for the protection of our blue planet. It is key to establishing protected areas to preserve biodiversity. It protects the global climate and promotes food security for billions of people who depend on the oceans' resources," says Iris Menn, marine biologist and executive director of Greenpeace Switzerland, commenting on the historic event.

There is still much to be done

There is still much to be done to ensure that at least 30% of the oceans (30x30) are protected by 2030:

·         Currently, only 0.9% of the high seas are fully or highly protected. The high seas comprise all marine areas outside the 200 nautical mile zone (370 km). The resources of the high seas are the "common heritage of mankind." They do not belong to any single state.

·         To achieve the 30x30 target, governments must protect more than 12 million km² annually over the next five years – an area larger than Canada. This is according to calculations by Greenpeace International based on figures from the American Marine Conservation Institute.

·         Special attention must be paid to regional fisheries organizations. These have been driving the exploitation of the oceans for decades.

·         It is also important to involve indigenous peoples and local communities.

"Implementing the agreement is challenging, but feasible. There is no turning back," Iris Menn affirms.

Switzerland is challenged more than ever

The UN Ocean Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, BBNJ) will enter into force 120 days after 60 states have ratified it. The agreement paves the way for the first UN Ocean Conference, known as COP. COP stands for Conference of the Parties. The first Ocean COP is planned for the second half of 2026.

Although the Federal Council signed the agreement in January 2025, ratification requires a decision by parliament. According to the Federal Office for the Environment, this will not happen until the end of 2026/beginning of 2027 at the earliest. "Without ratification, Switzerland will have no place at the negotiating table," says Iris Menn. In March 2024, Greenpeace Switzerland called on the responsible Federal Councilor Albert Rösti to step up his efforts in marine conservation. This is now more important than ever.