"As a fisheries and ocean nation, we know that sustainable ocean management is crucial for future food security, jobs and biodiversity. This Agreement gives us a shared framework to take that responsibility," said Norway's Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Marianne Sivertsen Næss.
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Norway has formally ratified the landmark Marine Biological Diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement - often dubbed the "High Seas Treaty" - at the United Nations headquarters in New York, becoming the 31st country to do so.
The move marks another milestone in the global race to bring the High Seas Treaty into force, with 60 national ratifications required for the agreement to become legally binding.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide declared the ratification a proud moment for Norway, stating, "Protecting the world’s oceans requires collective effort from all countries. This is why Norway has been a driving force in landing this Agreement."
The BBNJ Agreement, adopted in June 2023 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), is the first international treaty aimed at safeguarding biodiversity in ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction, which constitute nearly two-thirds of the world’s oceans. It promotes environmental protection, sustainable use of marine resources, and fair benefit-sharing from marine genetic resources.
Norway's ratification follows unanimous approval by its Parliament on 26 May and a formal decision in the Council of State the following day. It also comes days ahead of the upcoming UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France (9–13 June), where Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and several Norwegian ministers will participate.
"The Parliament, civil society, business and academia all support Norway’s ratification. Now we must ensure that the Agreement enters into force as soon as possible - and for that, we need all countries on board," Eide said, via a government statement.
The Norwegian government has adopted new legislation to implement the Agreement, which will thus "become an integral part of Norway’s international ocean policy and engagement".
Norway will also contribute NOK 500,000 (approx. USD 49,000) to a UN trust fund supporting developing countries' participation in the treaty’s Preparatory Commission.
"This new international ocean agreement will help us reach the goal from the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework of protecting 30 percent of marine areas by 2030," said Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen.
"The Agreement makes it possible to conserve more of the marine environment in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The Agreement will also ensure that environmental impacts are assessed before activities take place in these areas," he added.
"As a fisheries and ocean nation, we know that sustainable ocean management is crucial for future food security, jobs and biodiversity. This Agreement gives us a shared framework to take that responsibility," added Norway's Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy, Marianne Sivertsen Næss.
Norway’s ratification comes on the heels of the European Union's ratification last week, where the EU and six of its member states - Cyprus, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, and Slovenia - deposited their ratification instruments at the UN, joining France and Spain, who ratified earlier in the year. While the EU’s collective ratification does not count toward the 60-country requirement, its support is seen as a strong political signal ahead of the Nice conference.
The first country to ratify the treaty was Palau, on 22 January 2024, while Chile followed on 21 February 2024, making it the first country in the Americas and the second globally to ratify. Seychelles ratified on 16 April 2024, becoming the first African nation to do so. The first European countries to ratify were Spain, on 4 February 2025, and France, on 5 February.
With 31 national ratifications now secured, the treaty is over halfway to the threshold needed for it to enter into force. More countries are expected to formalize their commitments during the upcoming UN Ocean Conference, with ratifications tracked online by the international coalition of NGOs, the High Seas Alliance.