The Great Lakes: a blueprint for global change?

As governments push to protect the world’s oceans, regions that have already adopted stringent environmental regulations could serve as templates for sustained change, Thordon Bearings observes.

After years of negotiation, the High Seas Treaty officially entered into force on 17 January 2026, marking a new era of protection for Earth’s oceans. As the first global, legally binding framework dedicated to safeguarding marine biodiversity in international waters, the treaty – also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement – has set new rules for environmental impact assessments and the creation of marine protected areas, in a committed effort to support