Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse has called on the Government to urgently ratify the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, and to show global leadership in tackling the ocean and climate crises.
Speaking during the second reading of the BBNJ Bill in Parliament, Mrs Hobhouse described the Treaty as “the world’s only viable pathway” to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
The UK helped negotiate the ambitious agreement at the UN in 2023 and was among the first to sign, but it has yet to ratify the Treaty, which is a crucial step to secure a seat at the table at the first Ocean COP, expected in August 2026.
Speaking in Parliament, the Bath MP said:
“I welcome the Bill as an important starting point, but if we are serious about protecting the blue heart of our planet, this must be just the beginning of real action to restore the health of oceans across the world and here at home.”
The High Seas Treaty sets out a legal framework for protecting international waters – areas that lie beyond national jurisdictions and cover nearly half of the Earth’s surface. Currently, less than 1% of these waters are fully protected. Mrs Hobhouse stressed that time is running out to meet the global “30×30” target to protect 30% of oceans by 2030, warning that the UK must act swiftly to ratify the Treaty or risk losing influence at the first Ocean COP.
She also raised the devastating impact of plastic pollution, citing the 12 million tonnes of plastic dumped into the ocean each year and the shocking estimate of 170 trillion plastic particles now floating in marine waters. Mrs Hobhouse reiterated Liberal Democrat calls for urgent marine protections, including:
- A ban on bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas – a practice that damages seabeds, releases carbon, and threatens biodiversity
- Stronger enforcement and transparency around illegal and unregulated fishing
The Bath MP also noted that 81% of the British public support a ban on bottom trawling in protected areas, according to recent Oceana polling.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, commented:
“With 10% of marine species at risk of extinction, we must act now. It’s regrettable that the UK was not among the first 60 countries to ratify the Treaty, especially given the cross-party support in this House.
“We Liberal Democrats have long been pushing for the strongest possible marine environmental targets, both internationally and domestically, including through the ratification of the global oceans treaty. I hope the Government finally heeds our calls and shows global leadership in tackling the ocean and climate crises.”
