Key oceans treaty crosses threshold to come into force

[muriel_volestrangler]

A global agreement designed to protect the world's oceans and reverse damage to marine life is set to become international law.

The High Seas Treaty received its 60th ratification by Morocco on Friday, meaning that it will now take effect from January.

The deal, which has been two decades in the making, will pave the way for international waters to be placed into marine protected areas.

Environmentalists heralded the milestone as a "monumental achievement" and evidence that countries can work together for environmental protection.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5j87114deo

Ratification tracker here:
https://highseasalliance.org/treaty-ratification/

The UK got round to introducing the bill to ratify on 10th Sept: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/4016
I assume Republicans won't touch this with a bargepole.

A primer on what the high seas treaty is and how it will work

Formally known as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, the treaty is the first legally binding agreement aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in international waters. These areas, which lie beyond the jurisdiction of any single country, account for nearly two-thirds of the ocean and nearly half of Earth’s surface.
...
The treaty creates a legal process for countries to establish marine protected areas in the high seas, including rules for potentially destructive activities like deep-sea mining and geoengineering. It also establishes a framework for technology-sharing, funding mechanisms and scientific collaboration among countries.

Crucially, decisions under the treaty will be made multilaterally through what’s called a conference of the parties rather than by individual countries acting alone.
...
The first conference of the parties must be held within a year of the treaty taking effect. It will lay the groundwork for implementation, including decisions on governance, financing and the creation of key bodies to evaluate marine protection proposals.

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/primer-high-seas-treaty-work-125747327