Overview

• Ratifications by Morocco and Sierra Leone pushed the pact over the 60‑state threshold.
• The UN set 17 January 2026 as the start date following the treaty’s 120‑day waiting period.
• The agreement covers areas beyond national jurisdiction that span over two‑thirds of the ocean, where only about 1% currently has protection.
• It authorizes high‑seas marine protected areas and mandates environmental impact assessments for activities such as seabed mineral extraction.
• Many countries have signed but not completed ratification, including Germany and the United States, while Russia has not signed.