Germany ratifies High Seas Treaty to protect ocean life
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Germany joined the international agreement to better protect biodiversity in the high seas, areas of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction. The country will now fully participate in implementing the treaty, which the United Nations adopted in June 2023 after nearly 20 years of negotiations.
The agreement allows for the designation of marine protected areas on the high seas, a vast ecosystem covering over 60 percent of the world’s oceans, and requires environmental impact assessments for activities in international waters.
Minister Schneider described the treaty as “the greatest international environmental policy success of recent years,” emphasizing that the high seas are a shared heritage requiring stronger protection from pollution, overfishing, and climate change. Environmental groups like WWF and Greenpeace welcomed Germany’s ratification, urging the government to advocate for strong institutions and funding at the first conference of treaty states in January 2027.
Germany is already collaborating with partner countries on proposals for initial high seas protected areas, working towards the goal of safeguarding 30 percent of the world’s marine areas by 2030. Currently, only about one percent of the high seas is effectively protected.
