Our planet’s oceans remain one of the last global commons—a shared resource that supports countless species, regulates our climate, and feeds billions of people. However, for over 50 years, we have witnessed their destruction from the combined impacts of industrial fishing, plastic pollution, and climate change. Now, incredibly but predictably, President Trump is exacerbating this crisis, signing a slew of Executive Actions that prioritize corporate profit over the long-term health of this vital resource.

As we commemorate the 23rd annual World Oceans Day, it is critical that we remember just how helpful some of the protective actions we have taken have been. The global moratorium on commercial whaling brought the great whales back from the edge of extinction. Marine sanctuaries have allowed fish populations to recover in once-depleted fisheries. Bans on dumping have prevented millions of tons of toxic waste from poisoning our seas. These wins are proof that when governments commit to science-driven solutions, underpinned by social, economic, and environmental justice, progress is not only possible, it is inevitable.

The next opportunity for bold action is fast approaching, with governments this week convening at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France. As the US retreats from leadership on ocean protection, the international community is poised to make decisions that could have lasting benefits or far-reaching consequences. Governments must unite behind science, uphold international law, and take bold, collective action to defend the rights and futures of coastal communities and chart a sustainable course for life on Earth.

The first important decision is ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty, the only legal tool that can establish marine protected areas in international waters outside of the Southern Ocean. Despite covering roughly 75% of Earth’s surface and its indispensable role in supporting life on Earth, only 2.7% of the ocean is fully or highly protected from human activities. That drops to a mere 0.9% for the high seas. The Treaty’s “30 by 30” target, adopted as part of the Kunming-Montreal GlobalBiodiversity Framework in 2022, aims to change that by increasing protection to at least 30% by 2030–the minimum scientists have stated is needed for marine ecosystems to recover and biodiversity to thrive.

Internationally, time is running out. The Treaty must be ratified this year to meet the 2030 deadline.

There is no way to meet this target without the Global Ocean Treaty. To succeed, this protection must extend across both national and international waters. Domestically, countries must protect at least 30% of their national waters, ban unsustainable extractive industries, and ensure that local and Indigenous communities are central to marine conservation planning and decision-making processes.

Internationally, time is running out. The Treaty must be ratified this year to meet the 2030 deadline. However, while 60 ratifications are needed for it to take effect, only 31 countries have taken that step so far. Governments must act swiftly in the coming months to ratify the treaty and keep the 30 by 30 target within reach–before it’s too late.

The Trump Administration’s rogue push to unilaterally launch deep sea mining in international waters has been widely condemned by several state actors, including UNOC co-host France, along with China and the European Commission as a threat to multilateral cooperation and the United Nations. Alongside concerns about the ecological damage deep sea mining would cause, governments, civil society organizations, and Pacific Indigenous rights groups have also cautioned that it could trigger a reckless race to........

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