A landmark international treaty, the Global Ocean Treaty (BBNJ Agreement), has now been ratified by 62 nations, bringing the world closer to the 30x30 goal of protecting 30% of the planet's oceans by 2030. Marine protected areas, long under-resourced, are receiving new funding commitments totalling over $2 billion.

The policy implications are vast — from shipping route restrictions to deep-sea mining bans. OceanConf 2026 will host a dedicated policy track where legal experts, government delegates and advocacy groups debate what effective implementation looks like.