The High Seas Treaty: Latin American Leadership on Ocean Conservation

Prior to the High-Level Event on Ocean Action: Immersed in Change, from June 7 to 8 in San José, Costa Rica, the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program, in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA), will host a dialogue on Latin America’s leadership in supporting ratification and implementation of the High Seas Treaty as an important means to protecting the oceans and achieving the 30x30 global conservation agenda.

Latin America and the Caribbean could be a leader in the treaty’s ratification and a trailblazer in creating marine protected areas in the high seas. The region is already a standout in marine protection in territorial waters, with several countries having met or exceeded the 30% target, including Chile, Costa Rica, and Panama. By quickly ratifying the High Seas Treaty and designating conservation areas beyond national jurisdiction, the region would bring the treaty to life, showcase its potentially transformational impacts, and attract greater international support for environmental protection in the Americas.