Reuters also states that the treaty, which took 15 years to complete, will enable sustainable development, which means, among other things, developing new technologies while conserving marine ecosystems.

U.N. conference president, Rena Lee, said that "the ship has reached the shore", concluding the final days of negotiations.

The High Seas treaty is considered very important by many wildlife experts who aim to have 30% of the seas and land protected by the end of this decade. As economic interests played an important role in the discussions that took place in the last few days, developing countries asked richer nations to share crucial information such as technology know-how.

Virginijus Sinkevicius, the European commissioner for the environment, oceans and fisheries, said that "with the agreement on the UN High Seas Treaty, we take a crucial step forward to preserve the marine life and biodiversity that are essential for us and the generations to come."

According to Greenpeace experts, some 11 million square kilometers of ocean surface need to be protected every year until the next decade for conservation efforts to be effective.

Greenpeace oceans campaigner Laura Meller said that "the clock is still ticking to deliver 30 by 30. We have half a decade left, and we can't be complacent."

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom added that "it is also a victory for the UN and the global system that we have managed to deliver such an important agreement at a very challenging time."