Chile First Country to Ratify High Seas Treaty for Marine Conservation

Chile has become the first country to ratify the High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ). The treaty aims to establish marine protected areas in the high seas, covering two-thirds of the world’s oceans, in order to meet the goal of conserving 30 percent of land and sea by 2030. Chile’s Senate unanimously approved the treaty, showing the country’s strong focus on ocean conservation.

Chile’s President Gabriel Boric has proposed the port city of Valparaíso as the candidate to host the Treaty Secretariat. The move to ratify the treaty has been praised by environmental groups, including Greenpeace International, which has called it an achievement for the thousands of Chileans who have advocated for ocean protection. However, for the treaty to enter into force, 59 other countries need to ratify it by 2025.

The negotiations for the BBNJ treaty have been ongoing since 2004, and it was formally adopted by governments in June 2023. The signing of the treaty took place in September, and so far, 84 countries have signed it as the first step to ultimate ratification and coming into force. The timing of the ratification process is crucial to ensure that the globally agreed target of protecting 30 percent of the oceans by 2030 is within reach.

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