Almost two decades in the making, an international agreement to protect marine life in international waters and the seabed is due to come into force on Saturday, marking a major step forward in efforts to ensure the health of ocean ecosystems for decades to come.
Officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the legally binding UN treaty covers the ocean zones that lie beyond national waters (the “high seas”) and the international seabed area.
These regions make up over two-thirds of the ocean’s surface, representing over 90 per cent of Earth’s habitat by volume. This is because the ocean is deep, and most living space on Earth is underwater.
Why it matters
The BBNJ is designed to transform the “high seas” and international seabed into an environment to be managed sustainably for the benefit of all humanity.
It is also the first legally binding ocean instrument to provide for inclusive ocean governance, with provisions on the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and on gender balance.
It is hoped that, once it is fully implemented, the Agreement will make a vital contribution to addressing the so-called “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
Speaking to UN News, Tanzanian diplomat Mzee Ali Haji, who led his country’s negotiation team during BBNJ discussions, said that the agreement marks a major step in the protection of international waters.
The BBNJ strengthens the current international legal framework: it builds on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – in effect the “constitution for the oceans” – which has set the rules for maritime and seabed exploitation and marine protection since it came into force in 1994.
The agreement addresses gaps in the Convention, includes more detail on how to manage biodiversity and aligns ocean governance with modern challenges like climate change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the UN-brokered blueprint for solving the world’s most intractable challenges).
What does ‘entry into force’ mean?
After the entry into force, it becomes legally binding for the 81 nations that have ratified it so far, meaning that they agree to incorporate it into their national legislation.
The treaty specifies that it enters into force this Saturday: 120 days after it was ratified – accepted as legally by binding – by at least 60 countries.
read more: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166762
