The world's first treaty to protect international waters beyond the jurisdiction of coastal nations won approval from the U.N. General Assembly.
It will be open for signatures during the 193-nation assembly's annual meeting of world leaders in September and take effect once it is ratified by 60 countries.
The treaty approval caps discussions, including four years of formal negotiations, that began with an idea that surfaced almost two decades ago.
The high seas cover almost half of Earth's surface and account for about two-thirds of the ocean. They include international waters that are beyond the 200 nautical mile (370 kilometer) jurisdiction of coastal nations.
'A fighting chance'
Once it is legally binding, the treaty would address how nations equitably share marine genetic resources and environmental impact assessments.
It provides a legal basis for protecting and sustainably using the biodiversity of high seas beyond national jurisdiction, and builds on another accord to protect the biodiversity of life in marine areas covering 30% of the global ocean by 2030.
Until now the governance of the high seas has been carried out by entities that separately regulate fishing, shipping, seabed mining and other commercial activities.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the adoption of the high seas treaty "pumped new life and hope to give the ocean a fighting chance" against pollution, overfishing and climate change.
