A landmark United Nations treaty to safeguard marine biodiversity on the high seas has now met the required 60 ratifications for it to enter into force.
The development clears the way for the pact to take effect in January 2026. Morocco and Sierra Leone became the 60th and 61st parties to ratify the treaty on Friday.
The agreement, formally known as the BBNJ agreement, was adopted by UN Member States in June 2023 after nearly two decades of negotiations.
The pact covers the two-thirds of the world’s ocean area that lies beyond national boundaries and establishes legally binding rules to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity.
Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the development, calling it a, "historic achievement for the ocean and for multilateralism".
Once the treaty enters into force, it will provide a global framework to help achieve international biodiversity targets, including the pledge to protect 30 per cent of land and sea areas by 2030 under the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework. The Secretary-General urged all remaining UN member states to join the treaty without delay.
