The High Seas Treaty begins in the classroom

The High Seas Treaty begins in the classroom | Photo: Talia Cohen

By Gabriela Casuso

The High Seas Treaty marks a new chapter in global ocean governance. Yet its real strength does not lie only in commitments signed by governments, but in a collective understanding of what is being protected. When people understand the ocean—how it works, why it matters, and how it connects us—international agreements stop being abstract and start shaping everyday decisions.

I grew up in the Caribbean, a region where the ocean is not a distant idea or a technical concept. It is landscape, food, route, memory, and future. And yet, even in coastal communities, the deep ocean and the high seas often feel invisible, almost disconnected from daily life. This reveals a paradox: people protect what they understand best, yet much of the ocean that sustains life on Earth remains poorly understood by most. The high seas cover more than 60% of the planet’s surface.

They regulate the climate, host extraordinary biodiversity, and connect ecosystems and countries without recognising political borders. But the thing is: what happens there does not stay there. It directly affects Caribbean fisheries, food security, climate stability, and the daily lives of millions of people who depend on the ocean to live.

The High Seas Treaty formally acknowledges this interdependence, establishing a framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction, and strengthening scientific cooperation.

Still, no treaty is implemented in isolation.

For this historic agreement to come alive, political will alone is not enough. It requires people who can understand it, explain it, and defend it. This is where ocean literacy moves from being an educational add-on to becoming a core part of global governance.

Ocean literacy is not only about scientific facts. It is about understanding how the ocean functions, how it relates to daily choices, and how people can actively participate in its care. It means translating complex concepts—from ocean currents and biodiversity to climate change and international governance—into accessible language for students, families, and communities.

When this happens, the ocean stops being perceived as “no one’s responsibility” and becomes everyone’s responsibility.

Young people play a decisive role in this process, because they are not a distant future; they are already acting as bridges between science, community, and policy. Across the Caribbean, young people are leading marine education initiatives, running citizen science projects, and adapting global knowledge to local realities.

They are the ones turning an international treaty into classroom conversations and community workshops. From my experience as a marine educator, I have seen how a person’s relationship with the ocean changes once they understand, for example, that a fish on their plate may have migrated through international waters, or that deep-ocean currents influence the climate patterns of their region. That understanding creates something powerful: a sense of belonging and responsibility. And that is the fertile ground treaties need if they are to grow and work well.

The Caribbean has a particularly important voice at this historic moment. It is a region deeply connected to the ocean and highly vulnerable to its degradation. Caribbean communities experience the impacts of climate change, overfishing, and biodiversity loss firsthand. For this reason, ocean literacy in the Caribbean is not just environmental education; it is a tool for resilience, justice, and democratic participation in global decision-making.

The High Seas Treaty now exists.

Its success will depend on something both profound and simple: whether more people understand the ocean it seeks to protect. That is why, beyond diplomatic halls, global ocean governance truly begins in the classroom, in the community, and in every young person who learns to see the ocean with knowledge, awareness, and shared responsibility.

It is not just about making agreements; it is about carrying them out with purpose.