A year of reckoning awaits the world’s oceans. After tidal shifts in 2025, 2026 will test whether promises to protect distant seas turn into action. From the High Seas Treaty and deep-sea mining to international ocean summits and EU marine policy, this year could define the future of our blue planet. Euronews reviews the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
High hopes for the high seas
On 17 January 2026, the high seas will gain a legal framework that finally curbs decades of lawlessness. The High Seas Treaty, formally known as the BBNJ Agreement, comes into force. It promises to protect remote areas plagued by illegal fishing, human rights violations, and ecological destruction.
Tiago Pitta e Cunha, CEO of the Oceano Azul Foundation, praises the treaty as a civilisational step forward. The high seas cover over two-thirds of the oceans, yet governance has been uneven. Regulatory bodies previously oversaw only parts of the seabed, ocean shelf, or shipping. The treaty fills gaps, enabling marine protected areas, sharing genetic resource benefits, requiring environmental assessments, and supporting developing nations.
2026 will also see the first Ocean COP, later in the year, establishing institutions to implement the treaty. Liz Karan, director of Pew’s ocean governance work, emphasizes that getting institutions right is crucial for long-term conservation. She adds that the treaty’s detailed framework can produce decades of effective protection.
The European Commission moves forward with adoption, already presenting a draft directive to ensure uniform implementation across member states. The European Parliament approved the proposal on 13 November 2025, and discussions at the Council level continue.
Vanya Vulperhorst, campaign director at Oceana Europe, predicts tangible benefits for European consumers. Healthy, well-managed marine areas in the high seas can support sustainable seafood consumption in the EU. Yet doubts remain about enforcement. Pitta e Cunha notes that international law lacks police, but satellites now allow for monitoring and public accountability.
Vulperhorst urges the EU to lead by example. She calls for strong protection of national MPAs to demonstrate commitment before high seas protections expand.
Will deep-sea mining sink or swim?
The debate over deep-sea mining will intensify in 2026. Around 40 countries have already rejected the practice, while France has banned it outright. Germany and Spain imposed precautionary pauses. Environmentalists warn that seabed mining damages ecosystems far beyond the mining site and pollutes the water column.
Pitta e Cunha calls it humanity’s ultimate irresponsibility. In contrast, US President Trump signed an executive order in April 2025 urging rapid development of seabed resources. The European Commission opposes mining until scientific gaps are resolved, citing potential harm to marine environments.
The issue could reach the courts. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), under UNCLOS, governs mineral-rich high seas areas. The US has not ratified the convention, creating potential legal conflicts if American operations proceed. ISA negotiations continue in 2026, with growing calls for strict regulations.
Experts argue that deep-sea minerals could be sourced from recycling, land-based mining, or alternative materials. Some companies and investors have pledged to avoid deep-sea resources, shaping the debate further. Nations will increasingly align into pro- and anti-mining coalitions.
Ocean summits take centre stage
Global ocean conferences have gained momentum, with the UN Ocean Conference in Nice in 2025 attracting 64 heads of state. Healthy oceans remain central to the planet’s life-support systems. Ocean conservation aligns with political timelines, as ultra-protected areas can restore marine life in under five years.
Climate change and biodiversity loss will dominate discussions at the Our Ocean conference in Kenya on 16 June 2026. The conference will focus on coastal communities, marine biodiversity, and adapting to rising sea levels and extreme weather.
Europeans will watch progress on the EU Ocean Pact, announced in 2025, which integrates policies on the blue economy, ocean restoration, and maritime security. The pact will lead to the Ocean Act in 2027, revising the maritime spatial planning directive. Environmentalists hope it will ban bottom trawling and protect 30 percent of European waters, with strict protection for 10 percent.
In 2026, the EU Fisheries Control Regulation will require tracking devices on small fishing boats and digital data reporting for seafood supply chains. EU ocean policy enthusiasts will gather at European Ocean Days in Brussels from 2 to 6 March, and the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity in Bruges from 17 to 20 November. These events will highlight strategies to protect, restore, and defend oceans under increasing pressures.
