Agreements to Shift the Course: Is It Possible to Rescue the Ocean Before It’s Too Late?

As the third U.N. Ocean Conference in France approaches its conclusion, delegates are advocating for the responsible governance of the high seas and the protection of waters from plastic pollution.

“The ocean is the ultimate shared resource. But we are failing it,” says U.N. Secretary General António Guterres. “Fish stocks are collapsing. Over-consumption and illegal fishing are pushing marine life to the brink. Plastic pollution is choking ecosystems.”

At the conference, 18 additional countries ratified the High Seas Treaty, raising the total to 49. The agreement provides the first legal framework to protect the two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national jurisdiction.

Although the Treaty was initially adopted in 2023, 60 countries must ratify it for full implementation. The World Resources Institute states that the High Seas Treaty is crucial for achieving the international 30×30 agenda, which aims to protect 30 percent of all land and water by 2030.

Guterres calls on more countries to ratify the agreement, stating, “The entry into force is within our sight, and I urge all remaining nations to join swiftly. We cannot afford to lose a moment.”

Negotiators are also striving to finalize a global treaty on plastic pollution. If enacted, this legally binding treaty will be the first to regulate plastics throughout their entire lifecycle.

“We are suffocating under plastic,” says Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, who leads the treaty negotiations. “If we do not address plastic pollution, we will not have any ecosystems left, whether terrestrial or marine.”

The U.N. estimates that 18-20 percent of global plastic waste ends up in the oceans. By 2040, as much as 37 million metric tons could enter the ocean annually without intervention.

The protection of the world’s oceans is critically needed for marine ecosystems and the people who rely on them, a new report from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reveals. More than 3 billion people worldwide depend on aquatic foods for essential protein and nutrients, while at least 600 million rely on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods.

Responsible ocean management is essential for preserving these marine resources for future generations. The report indicates that 77 percent of the fish consumed globally comes from sustainable sources, where well-managed fisheries yield high returns. However, at least one-third of fish stocks are being overexploited.

Manuel Barange, Assistant Director-General at FAO, points out successful examples where fish stocks have been restored from the brink of collapse, noting that there has been a “significant turnaround” in tuna populations. He believes similar progress can be achieved elsewhere.

“Management works,” Barange says. “We know how to rebuild populations.”

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Photo courtesy of Steff van Niekerk, Unsplash