Sigourney Weaver, President Macron, and world leaders celebrate historic milestone in New York, calling for more nations to join and secure lasting protection for half the planet.
Just four days after the historic milestone of the 60th ratification of the United Nations High Seas Treaty, actor Sigourney Weaver joined French President Emmanuel Macron, along with Heads of State from Chile, Ireland, Luxembourg and Guinea Bissau, Ministers and ocean leaders from civil society and philanthropy in celebrating its imminent entry into force and welcoming a new era of international ocean governance.
The celebration, attended by high-level representatives from countries that have ratified the Treaty or plan to shortly, took place during the high-level event ‘From Nice to New York: Activating the High Seas Treaty!’, on the margins of the UN General Assembly. The event was co-hosted by the governments of Belgium, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Chile, France, the European Union, and Palau in partnership with civil society and philanthropy, including the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, the High Seas Alliance, Arcadia, Blue Nature Alliance, Blue Marine Foundation, Minderoo Foundation, Oceans5, Oceano Azul Foundation, and the Pew Charitable Trusts.
“The High Seas Treaty shines as a beacon of hope, for the ocean, for multilateralism, and for our collective commitment to science, the rule of law, transparency and inclusiveness. As we mark this historic milestone, we must also look ahead to ensure we can turn the words of the treaty into action on the water.” said Sigourney Weaver, Actor and activist.
During their speeches both President Macron from France and President Boric from Chile emphasised that entry into force of the High Seas Treaty is just the beginning, and that implementation is when the real work begins to make change on the water.
Earlier in the day a further 6 countries deposited their ratification in New York bringing the total number of ratifications to 69 including the European Union.
Swift entry into force has been a top priority for many governments and civil society since the Treaty opened for signature and ratification on 20 September 2023. Momentum further accelerated during the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice in June 2025, when ratifications surged to 50. In the months that followed 10 more countries joined and on 19 September 2025 the Treaty’s entry into force was triggered when the 60th country deposited its ratification at the United Nations. It will become international law 120 days later on 17 January 2026. Under the Treaty, the first Conference of the Parties (CoP) must convene within a year of entry into force, likely toward the end of 2026.
“The High Seas Treaty’s entry into force is a landmark milestone in the Race for Ratification. As we turn the corner in international ocean governance and speed towards the Treaty’s first Conference of Parties, governments must keep their foot on the accelerator. The bold leadership we’ve witnessed in this room of leaders today must continue tomorrow, inspiring more countries from all regions to ratify and ensuring the Treaty becomes a truly global engine for effective ocean protection”, said Rebecca Hubbard, Director of the High Seas Alliance.
Covering nearly half the planet, and two thirds of the ocean, the High Seas are home to some of the most biodiverse yet vulnerable ecosystems on Earth. The High Seas Treaty is the first legally binding international agreement safeguarding this marine life. It provides new tools to halt biodiversity loss and ocean degradation such as creating marine protected areas (MPAs) on the High Seas which will be critical for achieving the international Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity target of protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 (30×30). It also requires environmental impact assessments to mitigate harmful human activities. Crucially, the Treaty advances equity through enhancing access to knowledge and technology, building capacity, and ensuring fair sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources, provisions that are particularly important for developing countries and small island states.
“It has taken more than two decades to get from the seed of an idea for this Treaty to this moment. But even more important will be turning leadership on ratification into action on the water. Today’s commitments are very encouraging, and sustained political leadership and dedication will be needed for implementation including the establishment of highly and fully protected areas in the High Seas”, said Lisa Speer, Director of the International Oceans Program at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
Ensuring the Treaty delivers real protection will require sustained funding from governments but also other sources. Philanthropy has already played a critical role in catalyzing action, and the event saw commitments by funders, including the Minderoo Foundation and Bloomberg Ocean Initiative for continued investment to support science, implementation, monitoring, capacity building, and the meaningful participation of all nations, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities.
“The High Seas Treaty is one of the most important conservation achievements of our time. For the first time, countries have committed to safeguarding nearly half of our planet — waters that sustain extraordinary biodiversity and play a vital role in the fight against climate change. This milestone shows what’s possible when governments, civil society, and philanthropy work together with urgency and determination. Bloomberg Philanthropies is proud to work alongside partners worldwide to turn this historic commitment into lasting protection”, said Antha Williams, who leads the Environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“The High Seas Treaty is the legal engine that makes the global 30×30 ocean protection target possible. It is a once-in-several-generation opportunity to protect the vast amount of ocean that lies in international waters – the global commons – which is crucial for protecting biodiversity and safeguarding carbon-rich marine ecosystems. We must act swiftly and decisively to turn this agreement into real protections before irreversible damage is done to our ocean. That is why Minderoo Foundation is providing A$4.25 million to accelerate the swift and science-based implementation of the Treaty. Together, we must raise awareness, build coalitions, and advocate for strong protections. We are at a critical juncture where bold action, backed by science and collaboration, is urgently needed to protect our ocean’s most vulnerable and least governed spaces. This initiative is about turning global commitments into real protections — before it’s too late,” Dr Andrew Forrest AO, Founder of Minderoo Foundation, said.
NOTES
- Since its founding in 2011, the High Seas Alliance, with its 70+ non-governmental members, has been working towards protecting the 50% of the planet that is the High Seas; the global ocean beyond national jurisdiction. This area includes some of the most biologically important, least protected, and most critically threatened ecosystems in the world.
- The official status of signatures and ratifications can be found on the UN website and the High Seas Alliance’s ratification tracker. Note: The number shown on the High Seas Alliance tracker reflects only the ratifications that count toward entry into force and does not include the EU’s ratification and therefore differs from the UN’s total count.
- The High Seas Alliance (HSA) sometimes uses the term “High Seas Treaty“ as a short-hand for the BBNJ Agreement. HSA acknowledges that the scope of the BBNJ Agreement encompasses all Areas beyond national jurisdiction, including the seafloor and water column. This choice of wording is intended to ease understanding for broad audiences and does not convey a prioritization among the components or principles of the BBNJ Agreement.
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