UK urged to ratify high seas treaty to avoid being shut out of Ocean Cop summit

"The high seas treaty, formally known as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, comes into force on Saturday, after two decades of talks. But although the UK has signed the treaty, the bill to ratify it introduced last September still needs to pass through parliament and be deposited at the UN."

"In a letter to the foreign secretary, the heads of 18 UK environmental charities have condemned the glacial pace of government progress on ratifying the treaty, which was officially adopted in 2023. They call for the bill to be passed in good time before the first Ocean Cop summit, which is expected to take place this year, to ensure Britain is included. We urge the government to complete it at least 30 days before the first Ocean Cop, which could take place as early as August this year,"

"Disappointingly, while the world celebrates, the UK is still not among the 81 countries, including China, France, Japan, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, that have signed the treaty into law, the letter says. We urge the government to complete it at least 30 days before the first Ocean Cop, which could take place as early as August this year, in order to guarantee the UK's attendance there."

The UN high seas treaty comes into force after two decades of negotiations, creating a legal framework to protect biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The UK has signed the treaty but has not ratified it because the biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction bill remains before parliament and must be deposited at the UN. Eighteen UK environmental charities have urged the government to pass the bill at least 30 days before the first Ocean Cop summit to guarantee UK attendance. Eighty-one countries have ratified the treaty. The treaty covers nearly half the planet and is expected to mark a turning point for ocean governance.

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