The BBNJ Treaty (High Seas Treaty) will enter into force on January 17, 2026, establishing the first binding global framework for ocean biodiversity. Yet recent preparatory negotiations revealed how fragile inclusivity remains: debates over SIDS’ recognition, finance, and participation showed that equity is not optional—it is essential to making the treaty work.
Whether they concern economic development or environmental protection, contemporary narratives on the ‘global ocean’ generally call for expansion of human control into increasingly deep and remote marine spaces. This essay shares insights from a recent social science study critiquing this dominant “Ocean Frontier” ideology based on an empirical investigation of the “Dome,” an elusive offshore feature in the Pacific Ocean off Central America.
