A new treaty to govern international waters is “tantalisingly close” after countries – including Britain – promised to sign it into law.
The British government said this week that it will introduce legislation by the end of the year to ratify the UN High Seas Treaty, following a recent surge in support from other countries to do the same.
At present, remote waters, which make up nearly two-thirds of the world’s oceans, are largely lawless and are vulnerable to over-fishing, climate change, the threat of deep-sea mining and geo-engineering.
Prince William on Sunday said protecting the planet’s oceans was a challenge “like none we have faced before” after teaming up with Sir David Attenborough to discuss the plight of the vital resource.
The High Seas Treaty was agreed by 193 countries two years ago, but cannot come into force unless 60 countries ratify it.
This week at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, countries ratifying it passed 50, bringing what could be the first legally binding agreement on protecting international waters a step closer.
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Ocean protection is the focus of one of The Earthshot Prize’s categories, a global environmental award set up by Prince William
“The entry into force is within our sight,” UN secretary general Antonio Guterres told reporters on Tuesday. “We do not have a moment to lose.”
He called the ocean the “lifeblood of our planet”, which “feeds the soul”.
“It produces half of the oxygen we breathe, nourishes billions of people, supports hundreds of millions of jobs, and underpins global trade.”
Campaigners have called the high seas the “wild west” of the ocean as they are mostly ungoverned, and said a treaty could deliver protection at sea “on a scale we’ve never seen before”.
Chris Thorne, Greenpeace UK oceans campaigner, said: “We’re tantalisingly close to a huge moment for the planet.”
Governments that ratify the treaty could be held accountable under their own jurisdictions and at an oceans tribunal, but it would be difficult to force other countries to follow the rules, even if they agreed to the treaty.
The drive comes as President Donald Trump pulls the United States and its money out of environmental projects, and as some European governments weaken green policy and overseas aid commitments.
The treaty also sets out how countries would share technology, newly discovered resources and funding.
It would mean decisions would have to be made collectively through negotiations, rather than by individual countries going it alone.
The UK government has previously been criticised by environmentalists for dragging its heels on ratification.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the treaty would help conserve “rare, valuable and important marine life of the high seas”, safeguarding them against unsustainable fishing and industrial activities.
Marine minister Emma Hardy said: “Without urgent action, [our oceans] will be irreversibly destroyed.”
During the conference, which finishes on Friday, the UK government also proposed to extend a ban on bottom trawling to more marine protected areas in English waters.
