In 2023, United Nations Member States adopted the BBNJ Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This historic agreement strengthens the global legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, that is the high seas and the deep sea bed combined. The BBNJ Agreement aims to address the growing biodiversity crisis for ocean life outside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Covering nearly two-thirds of the ocean, international waters are rich in marine life but face increasing threats from climate change, pollution and overfishing. The BBNJ Agreement fills critical gaps left by UNCLOS and introduces provisions for sustainable management of biodiversity in high seas and the deep sea bed.
The Agreement will enter into force 120 days after it is ratified by 60 countries. The signature period closes on September 20, 2025. For the latest status of signatures and ratifications, visit the UN Treaty Collection website.
To explore how UNEP is supporting global efforts on BBNJ, visit our high seas page.
The BBNJ Agreement— adopted in 2023— is designed to head off a brewing biodiversity crisis in the high seas. At the meetings in New York, backers are expected to call for dozens of nations to ratify the agreement, which must happen for it to come into force.
The Mediterranean Action Plan and Barcelona Convention have driven 50 years of regional cooperation to protect the Mediterranean's biodiversity, but intensified climate, pollution, and overexploitation crises demand urgent, unified action, says Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director.
