Overview

• The BBNJ pact surpassed 60 ratifications after recent approvals including Morocco, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, triggering entry into force in January 2026 following a 120‑day countdown.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the milestone for a framework that covers most international waters, which comprise roughly 60% of the ocean.
• The treaty enables high‑seas marine protected areas, requires environmental impact assessments, sets rules for sharing benefits from marine genetic resources and supports technology transfer to developing countries.
• Implementation will be phased: the new international body is expected to convene in 2026, and experts forecast the first protected areas no earlier than late 2028 or 2029.
• Argentina has signed but not ratified and is preparing to send the pact to Congress, while Russia has neither signed nor ratified and US ratification appears unlikely under President Trump.