Spring 2026 13 MANY NATIONS, ONE OCEAN Oregon State science guides historic international pact. Oregon State University research has helped shape a landmark moment for the planet: the enactment of the High Seas Treaty, which went into effect Jan. 17. Formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, it followed more than two decades of negotiations. Its aim is to safeguard the high seas, the two-thirds of the ocean beyond individual nations’ control. “It’s time to celebrate,” said Jane Lubchenco, OSU Wayne and Gladys Valley Chair of Marine Biology. “We have an unprecedented opportunity to protect and sustainably use the biodiversity in an area covering nearly half the planet. That area houses phenomenal biodiversity, but it’s declining and at risk. This new treaty is a very big deal and very good news — science is informing pioneering global policy, and needs to continue doing so.” Central to that science is The MPA Guide (MPA stands for “marine protected areas”), published in 2021 and led by OSU’s Kirsten GrorudColvert and Jenna Sullivan-Stack, who coordinated contributions from more than three dozen scientists to create a road map for planning, evaluating and monitoring marine protected areas. “The High Seas Treaty represents another huge milestone, and I’m really proud of the part OSU plays,” Grorud-Colvert said. — Steve Lundeberg HAPPY MONKEY / ADOBE STOCK
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