Message in a bottle

GLOBAL ART CELEBRATES OCEAN PROTECTION

On 17th January 2026 artists and communities from 13 countries unveiled large-scale public artworks around the world, celebrating The Global Ocean Treaty coming into force , launching a race to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030.

Co-ordinated by Greenpeace International, Indigenous Peoples, activists, and local communities across five continents created murals, sculptures, and kinetic installations inspired by ocean life which appeared in public spaces to celebrate the treaty and urge governments to move quickly to implement it.

Today, less than 1% of the High Seas (areas beyond national jurisdiction) are fully or highly protected. For the first time, the treaty provides a legal framework for establishing marine protected areas in international waters to address climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and food security. The treaty's success now depends on rapid follow-through, including swift designation of the first high seas sanctuaries and limits on the power of industrial fisheries during the creation of the first sanctuary sites.

In the UK, a colourful new artwork, twice the length of a double decker bus, was painted on Leonard-on Sea's town's beachside Bathing Hut Cafe. The mural, by Bristol-based artist, Richt, features a message in a bottle addressed to the UK government which has sunk to the ocean floor, visible among a host of beautiful ocean creatures including a turtle, an angelfish and an oyster.

Whilst the UK introduced a bill to ratify the treaty last September, it still needs to pass through Parliament and be deposited at the UN so this is an urgent call to action for them to complete signing the High Seas Treaty into law. Around 80 nations including France, Spain, China, Japan, Mexico and Brazil have already done so and 18 environmental charities and campaign groups have written to Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper urging her to speed up our process to realise 'the biggest opportunity any UK government has had to protect our oceans'.

Chris Thorne, senior oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK said: "While communities around the world are celebrating, the UK government - yet to pass the Treaty into UK law - is holding us back. This powerful beachside mural by Richt captures both the hope and urgency of the moment.

A constellation of ocean sanctuaries where marine life, from colourful corals to majestic whales, can thrive is within reach. But we will only get there if the UK signs the Treaty into law and puts forward ambitious proposals to protect vast areas of the ocean, including the Sargasso Sea and other parts of the Atlantic. There's no time to waste."

The mural is now being turned into a digital postcard for people to send directly to Yvette Cooper, to ensure she hears the message loud and clear.

(Photo Credits: Leonard on seas pics © Laura Lewis / Greenpeace, Ocean Themed Mural in Dakar, Senegal © Ma Ibra Laye / Greenpeace, Menu pic Mural for Ocean Protection © Greenpeace / Caleb Mbuvi).