Palau on Monday became the first nation to officially ratify the UN Ocean Treaty.
“As the first country to officially ratify the UN Ocean Treaty, Palau has jumped into the lead in the race to ratification,” said Laura Meller, project leader of Greenpeace’s Protect the Oceans campaign.
“They’ve already shown leadership in opposing deep-sea mining in the Pacific Ocean and have now set the bar for what it means to be an ocean champion,” she added.
Conservationists consider the landmark ocean protection pact as the most significant multilateral environmental deal since the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
Adopted in June 2023 and signed by 84 countries in September 2023, the treaty will only enter into force once it is ratified by at least 60.
“Pacific nations continue to demonstrate global leadership from the frontlines of the climate and biodiversity crisis and by becoming the first country to ratify the Treaty Palau sends a strong message to other countries in the region: the time to protect the ocean and all the life it supports is now,” Meller said.
“The oceans are crucial for the climate, global food security and the livelihoods of billions of people. We expect governments around the world to follow in Palau’s footsteps, and bring the UN Ocean Treaty to life so that the real work to protect the oceans can start,” she added.