Uk faces exclusion from historic ocean summit as parliament delays ratifying un high seas treaty

The United Kingdom is at risk of being locked out of a groundbreaking international ocean conservation summit due to Parliament’s failure to ratify a crucial UN treaty protecting marine life in international waters, environmental groups are warning.

The UN High Seas Treaty, officially known as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, officially takes effect this Saturday after twenty years of complex international negotiations. This landmark agreement creates the legal framework for establishing marine protected areas in international waters—the vast ocean regions beyond any country’s jurisdiction that cover nearly half of Earth’s surface.

However, the UK’s ratification process has stalled in Parliament, with the necessary legislation moving at what critics describe as a “glacial pace” through the legislative process. Environmental charities and conservation campaigners are sounding the alarm that this delay could exclude Britain from participating in the upcoming Ocean COP summit, where participating nations will make critical decisions about implementing the treaty’s protections.

The high seas—often called the “global commons”—are home to crucial marine ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots that remain largely unprotected under current international law. The treaty represents a historic opportunity to establish comprehensive conservation measures for these vulnerable ocean areas, including restrictions on harmful fishing practices and industrial activities. With the agreement now entering force, countries that haven’t completed ratification may find themselves without a voice in shaping how these new protections are implemented globally.