On 23 March 2026, Australia’s Senate handed the Excessive Seas Biodiversity Invoice. Your assist made this potential. That is your win. Thanks. You’ve been with us via the lengthy highway and we don’t take that evenly.
The Australian authorities has lastly introduced the International Ocean Treaty into legislation – this implies we’re one step nearer to creating ocean sanctuaries right here at house.
You backed this when lots of people mentioned it couldn’t occur. Whether or not you first supported Greenpeace final month or ten years in the past, you had been a part of one thing historic: Australia standing up for the 64% of the world’s ocean that belongs to no nation – and till now, was barely protected.
© Greenpeace / BRIDGET FERGUSON
What your assist made potential
64%
of the world’s ocean now coated by this historic treaty
20 yrs
of campaigning and supporters such as you who by no means gave up
30%
of oceans to be protected by 2030, the objective your assist is driving
What you really modified
The International Ocean Treaty is probably the most important ocean safety settlement in a era, and it wanted Australia. Not simply as a signature — as a drive.
We’ve got one of many largest ocean territories on earth. When Australia speaks in worldwide negotiations, it issues. Once we ratify, we don’t simply add our identify to a listing. We shift what’s potential for ocean governance globally. We make it more durable for many who wish to mine, overfish and pollute the excessive seas to take action with out consequence.
Earlier than this treaty, lower than 1% of the excessive seas had any safety. That’s the deep blue past each nation’s border, house to humpback whales, migratory sharks, deep-sea corals, and thousands and thousands of species we haven’t even named. It was an open frontier. Your assist helped change that.
Due to you, the federal government heard a message it couldn’t ignore: this issues. Your donations, your petitions, your voice, all of them added as much as one thing actual. The ocean wasn’t forgotten. Thanks for ensuring of that.
— Greenpeace Australia Pacific Nature Workforce
A 20 12 months journey you helped drive
This win didn’t occur in a single day. It took twenty years of persistence and supporters who stayed with us via the gradual, irritating, unglamorous work of change.
What comes subsequent?
Formal ratification can be accomplished within the coming months, however your assist hasn’t simply helped shut a chapter. It’s opened the following one. Right here’s what’s now potential since you confirmed up:
🏝️
A Tasman Sea sanctuary, now potential
With ratification, Australia can nominate the Lord Howe Rise as one of many world’s first protected areas in worldwide waters. Your assist put this on the desk.
🌐
Ocean COP 1, setting the foundations
The primary Convention of Events meets later in 2026. Greenpeace can be there, pushing for the strongest potential protections. Funded by supporters such as you.
🎯
30×30, the objective you’re serving to obtain
Defending 30% of oceans by 2030 is now inside attain. Australia’s ratification is without doubt one of the most vital steps towards that concentrate on.
🐟
Wildlife that may’t thanks, however we’ll
Humpback whales. Blue sharks. Deep-sea corals. Hundreds of thousands of species could have better safety since you selected to behave when it counted.
At present, the ocean belongs to you
Change like this doesn’t occur with out individuals who resolve to indicate up, via the gradual years, the small actions, the moments when it was straightforward to stroll away. You had been a type of individuals, and we received’t overlook it.
From all of us at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, and from the humpbacks, the sharks, the corals, and the deep-sea creatures who can’t say it themselves: thanks.
