What is the high seas treaty?

The high seas treaty aims to protect marine life in ocean waters worldwide that no country can claim as its own.

The treaty, which UN members states adopted in June 2023, is set to take effect under international law in January 2026 after enough countries passed the bar for ratification on Friday.

Here are the key points:

– International waters –

The treaty covers international waters that fall outside any single country’s exclusive economic zone and account for more than 60 percent of the world’s oceans.

It also covers what is known as “the Area” — shorthand for seabed and subsoil beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. That comprises just over half of the planet’s seabed.

Now that the treaty is law, a decision-making body — a Conference of the Parties (COP) — will have to work