Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction

The United Nations agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction or BBNJ Agreement (referred to by some stakeholders as the High Seas Treaty or Global Ocean Treaty) is a legally binding agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Adopted in June 2023, the agreement addresses four main issues:

• marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits

• measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas

• environmental impact assessments

• capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology