The treaty reached the threshold of 60 national ratifications on September 19 last year, meaning that it would go formally into operation within 120 days. The United States signed the treaty during the previous administration but has not yet ratified it. Under the treaty, countries must conduct environmental assessments of activities that have an impact on ocean ecology. Environmentalists say more than 190,000 protected areas would need to be established in order to meet the "30 by 30" target to bring 30% of the oceans under formal protection by 2030. "The question of mining in the substrate or in the seabed simply belongs to the ISA (International Seabed Authority).

Source: The Telegraph January 17, 2026 06:59 UTC