Amsterdam, The Netherlands, In a landmark moment for ocean protection, the Global Ocean Treaty reached its 60th ratification today clearing the way for the historic agreement to enter into force. But this crucial milestone must be met with urgent action from nations during the countdown to the world's first Ocean Conference of Parties (COP).
With only 0.9% of the High Seas currently fully or highly protected, the Treaty is crucial to expanding protection, establishing sanctuaries that help mitigate the climate crisis, and safeguarding food security for the billions who depend on ocean resources. New analysis by Greenpeace International has revealed that to protect 30% of the high seas by 2030, governments would need to protect more than 12 million km2 every year for the next five years. This area is bigger than the size of Canada.[1]
Mads Christensen, Executive Director, Greenpeace International said: "This is a landmark moment for protecting the ocean, and proof that countries can come together to protect our blue planet. The era of exploitation and destruction must end, and the Global Ocean Treaty is the tool to make that happen. But we must not get complacent. Scientists are clear that we need to protect at least 30% of our ocean by 2030, and time is running out. Governments around the world must use this time now to ensure the first historic Ocean COP becomes a turning point, and start to develop plans for the first-ever sanctuaries under the Treaty. Our ocean can't wait and neither can we."
Campaigners are warning that immediate action is required from nations to start developing plans for high seas sanctuaries as time is running out to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030, a target Governments have already agreed to:
- Governments must now mobilise to use the next few months before the first Ocean COP to start working on developing new high seas sanctuaries. These areas must be fully or highly protected to ensure that vast areas of the ocean are closed to extractive and destructive human activities, unlike many current Marine Protected Areas which are protected in name only.
- Governments must ensure that the Treaty has the power to implement measures quickly, without being tied up in delays or having to rely on bodies like Regional Fisheries Management Organisations which have overseen the depletion of the ocean for decades.[2]
- Governments need to ensure that the development of sanctuaries is based on robust scientific evidence and with participation from Indigenous Peoples and local communities to ensure the process is driven by science and socially just.
The Treaty will enter into force in 120 days, paving the way for the first-ever Ocean COP, likely taking place in 2026. Greenpeace also calls on the remaining countries to ratify the Treaty quickly and before the world's first Ocean COP. If they don't, they won't have a seat at the table.
Greenpeace and millions of supporters are also calling on countries to show the same ambition as with the Global Ocean Treaty and join a moratorium on deep sea mining, a new destructive form of mining that would damage the oceans beyond repair.[3]
