IDC Chair: Government must ratify UN Global Oceans Treaty
13 January 2025
The government has stated that it intends to ratify the UN Global Oceans Treaty, but has so far failed to bring forward the necessary primary legislation, in its response to a Select Committee report.
- Government response: UK Small Island Developing States Strategy
- Report: UK Small Island Developing States Strategy
- Inquiry: UK Small Island Developing States Strategy
In 2024, the previous Parliament’s International Development Committee published a report on Small Island Developing States. It recommended that the government prioritise bringing forward legislation to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty. However, while the new government has reiterated its commitment to ratifying the Treaty, it is yet to introduce this legislation.
Small Island Developing States are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events, sea level rises and the erosion of coral reefs that maintain marine ecosystems. These effects can have a devastating impact on economies and livelihoods in these states; Hurricane Maria, in 2017, cost Dominica US$1.3bn, equivalent to more than 200% of its annual GDP.
The Global Oceans Treaty, adopted by the UN in June 2023, contains several provisions to conserve ocean ecosystems. These include co-operation in developing marine protected areas (MPAs) and the obligation for states to assess the environmental impact of activities such as deep-sea mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
In its response to the Committee’s report, the government states that “work is in hand on the measures needed to implement the detailed and complex provisions of the Agreement before the UK can ratify.”
In the response, the government also fails both to commit to providing new and additional funding to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, which helps countries particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and to directly address the Committee’s recommendation that climate finance be provided as grants rather than loans.
The government cites the UK’s early pledge of up to £40 million at COP28 in 2023, which it says helped to establish the fund. It states that it will use its seat on the Fund’s Board to promote new funding, but that it will only consider contributing further money to the Fund once “progress has been made on an operating model and resource allocation”.
Chair comment
Chair of the International Development Committee, Sarah Champion MP, said:
“The world’s seas are in a perilous state: rapidly warming sea levels, plastic pollution, illegal fishing and deep-sea mining all threaten some of our most biodiverse marine ecosystems, and put the future of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) at grave risk.
“It is clear from the Government’s response that it recognises the seriousness of the crisis facing SIDs, so why hasn't it brought forward the legislation to stop the decline?
“Since the Treaty was adopted 18 months ago, only 15 of the 106 states that signed up have ratified the agreement. The UK could show genuine global leadership, but instead has so far opted for more delay.
“And while the government may appear committed to the needs of SIDS, its choice not to contribute new and additional funding for Loss and Damage suggests it is unwilling to put its money where its mouth is.
“It is SIDS themselves who will bear the brunt of our failure to act. I urge the government to bring the legislation before Parliament without further delay.”
Further information
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