Could major power politics stall the landmark High Seas Treaty?

Nearly a year after taking effect, the landmark High Seas Treaty risks becoming another geopolitical battleground among major powers, observers have warned.

Ratified by 105 countries, including China but not the United States and Russia, the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) is the most significant maritime pact in decades, governing international waters that cover nearly two-thirds of the global ocean.

While the treaty was designed to safeguard marine ecosystems and...