Governance & Policy
High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement)
Definition
The BBNJ Agreement, adopted in 2023 under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, governs biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction — the high seas covering nearly half the planet. It enables marine protected areas in international waters, requires environmental impact assessments for high-seas activities, and sets rules for sharing benefits from marine genetic resources. It entered into force in January 2026.
References
Agreement scope, pillars and ratification status
Ocean-biodiversity context
Overview
What it means
The two-thirds of the ocean outside national control now has a legal framework for conservation rather than a patchwork of sector rules.
How it is used
Governments designate high-seas protected areas; shipping, fishing and deep-sea industries anticipate assessment duties; scientists access benefit-sharing provisions.
Why it matters
It is the biggest expansion of ocean governance in decades and the delivery vehicle for protecting thirty percent of the ocean by 2030.