Australia has taken a major step to protect the world's ocean.
The High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026 has passed the Australian Parliament with amendments.
This clears the way for Australia to ratify the UN's High Seas Biodiversity Treaty, a landmark global agreement.
Once Australia ratifies the treaty, we will help protect vast ocean areas that sit outside national borders. These are known as the high seas.
The treaty sets clear global rules to protect the high seas. It provides frameworks to:
- create marine protected areas
- consider environmental impacts of proposed activities
- manage marine resources sustainably
- support developing countries with training and technology sharing.
Australian law requires that legislation be in place before we can ratify an international treaty.
By passing the Bill, Australia can now:
- take final steps to ratify the treaty
- meet our obligations once we become a Party to the Treaty
- work more closely with other countries to protect marine life
- help achieve the global goal of protecting 30 per cent of the world's ocean by 2030.
Australia was among the first nations to sign the treaty in 2023 after many years of negotiation. We have played a leading role in shaping the agreement and how it will work in practice.
The treaty offers us new opportunities to:
- work with developing countries
- strengthen partnerships
- support a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
After ratification, Australia will join more than 80 countries working together to safeguard the high seas.
A healthy ocean support jobs, food security and wildlife. As a coastal nation surrounded by high seas, Australia is committed to protecting the global ocean for future generations.
