The international treaty on biodiversity in the high seas came into force Saturday, marking a milestone in ocean conservation efforts, while the WWF urged Belgium to align its actions with its ambitions as a candidate to host the treaty’s secretariat.
Adopted on 19 June 2023 under the United Nations, the treaty aims to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. It entered into force 120 days after being ratified by 60 countries. As of now, 81 countries, including Belgium, France, Spain, China, Japan, and Brazil, have ratified the agreement. The United States, however, has not joined.
The treaty covers the high seas—over two-thirds of the world’s oceans—and their seabeds but excludes territorial waters and exclusive economic zones. It introduces mechanisms such as area-based management tools and marine protected areas, with the goal of safeguarding 30% of the oceans by 2030. Currently, only 1% of the high seas is protected.
While the WWF welcomed the treaty’s entry into force, it stressed that more work is needed, urging governments to pursue its “ambitious and effective implementation.” The organisation sees this as the beginning of substantial commitments to preserving ocean biodiversity.
Belgium is vying to host the treaty’s secretariat, competing with the Chilean city of Valparaiso. However, WWF claims that Belgium’s ambitions clash with its inaction regarding seabed mining, which the organisation considers a threat to marine ecosystems.
Environmental groups, including WWF and Greenpeace, have long warned against the dangers of deep-sea mining for biodiversity. Belgium has adopted legal frameworks allowing exploration and exploitation of seabeds under what authorities describe as “strict conditions.”
Sarah Vanden Eede, an ocean expert at WWF-Belgium, stated that Belgium has a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership. She called for the government to support a precautionary pause on seabed mining, saying such a stance would reflect scientific evidence and reinforce Belgium’s international commitments. This, she argued, would strengthen the country’s bid to host the treaty’s secretariat.
