What the UN treaty consists of

It is a binding legal instrument to protect and conserve marine life in international waters, beyond 200 nautical miles of national jurisdiction, focusing on the high seas and international areas of the seabed, spaces that cover nearly two-thirds of the global ocean and previously lacked a clear legal protection framework.

Among its pillars are promoting the establishment of marine sanctuaries in international waters to halt biodiversity loss, ensuring the fair distribution of economic or scientific benefits derived from the discovery of genes from organisms, and requiring member countries to conduct rigorous scientific studies before authorizing any human activity (such as deep-sea mining or cable laying) in international waters.

The Director of International Affairs at Athena Lab, Rear Admiral (ret.) Ignacio Mardones, explains that among the functions of the executive secretariat are providing administrative and logistical support to the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies for the implementation of the agreement and organizing the meetings of the Conference of the Parties. So far, 90 countries have ratified it, and Mardones highlights that the Chilean campaign “has borne fruit, with support from key allies, such as France, expressed during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit last November, and Mexico, which has also announced its adherence to Chile.”