Excerpt from earthshotprize.org
Today, the High Seas Treaty officially enters into force, marking a historic milestone for global ocean protection and international cooperation.
After more than two decades of negotiations, this moment signals a new era in how the world governs and protects nearly half of the planet.
The Treaty, formally known as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), gives humanity its first global legal framework to safeguard the High Seas.
Winner of The Earthshot Prize 2025, the High Seas Treaty reflects the power of collective action and demonstrates that protecting our shared ocean is possible.
This is not the end of a journey, but the beginning of a new chapter in ocean governance.