Nations urged to ratify High Seas Treaty for national reasons and the planet

Countries should ratify the High Seas Treaty, a UN agreement designed to protect life in marine areas beyond national jurisdictions, for their own national reasons, as well as collectively on behalf of the entire planet, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Feb 18.

- Chin Hui Shan

Ensuring the health of the oceans is critical for countries, he said during a conference on the high seas, pointing to the role of oceans in regulating the climate.

Oceans also facilitate maritime connectivity, he added.

"The effective implementation of the agreement is necessary if we are going to have a real impact on conservation and the sustainable use of our oceans," he said.

But he noted that there is "still a long way to go" as the number of countries that have ratified the agreement is insufficient to allow it to come into force.

The High Seas Treaty, also known as the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, paves the way for ecosystems and biodiversity in the high seas to be safeguarded.

The high seas—which make up nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans—refer to international waters located more than 200 nautical miles from any coastline.

Currently, only about 1 per cent of this expanse is protected.

Among other things, the treaty paves the way for marine protected areas to be established in these areas.

The treaty was adopted by nations in June 2023 but will enter into force only once 60 countries have ratified it under their own domestic process.