Why the High Seas Treaty entering into force matters for public-private action

The High Seas Treaty, which entered into international law on 17 January 2026, establishes a legally binding mechanism to govern the high seas, areas beyond national exclusive economic zones. It aims to replace a fragmented system of sector-specific agreements with a coherent framework focusing on four challenges: the equitable distribution of benefits from marine genetic resources, the creation of marine protected areas, strengthened environmental impact assessments, and the transfer of marine technology. The treaty is presented as a critical tool for achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework's target of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 and unlocking economic value by transitioning to a nature-positive future. Successful implementation requires collaboration between governments, science, and private sectors, including shipping and fisheries, to align industrial strategies with long-term ocean health.

• The High Seas Treaty, also known as the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, entered into international law on 17 January 2026 after 20 years of negotiations and sufficient ratifications by September 2025.
• The treaty addresses four primary interconnected challenges: the fair distribution of benefits from marine genetic resources, the use of area-based management tools like marine protected areas, enhanced requirements for environmental impact assessments, and the support of capacity building and marine technology transfer.
• The treaty provides the first legally binding mechanism to establish marine protected areas in the high seas, which is essential for meeting the Global Biodiversity Framework's goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.
• Transitioning to a nature-positive future by halting and reversing nature loss by 2030 could potentially unlock $10 trillion in economic value.
• Private sector implementation of the treaty depends on early engagement with affected sectors, improved transparency and availability of ocean data, and regulatory coherence across different jurisdictions.

APA

Thomson, P. (2026). Why the High Seas Treaty entering into force matters for public-private action. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/high-seas-treaty-public-private-action-ocean-protection/

Chicago

Thomson, Peter. Why the High Seas Treaty entering into force matters for public-private action. World Economic Forum, 2026. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/high-seas-treaty-public-private-action-ocean-protection/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Thomson |first1=Peter |title=Why the High Seas Treaty entering into force matters for public-private action |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=19 January 2026 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/high-seas-treaty-public-private-action-ocean-protection/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{thomson2026why, author = {Thomson, Peter}, title = {{Why the High Seas Treaty entering into force matters for public-private action}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2026}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/high-seas-treaty-public-private-action-ocean-protection/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }