World Oceans Day

The third session of the Commission is scheduled to be held from 23 March - 2 April 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Opening (item 1) Adoption of the Agenda (item 2) Programme of work (item 3) Appointment of members of the Credentials Committee (item 4) Consideration of the matters to be addressed by the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement at its first meeting and additional matters, as identified by the Preparatory Commission (item 5) Rules of Procedure for the Conference of the Parties (Cluster I, Issue 1) The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) was adopted on 19 June 2023 by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction convened under the auspices of the United Nations, and entered into force on 17 January 2026. The General Assembly established, in resolutio...

 This session aims to contribute to ongoing United Nations efforts to ensure that innovation in ocean-based industries remains consistent with international law and advances sustainable and peaceful uses of the seas. Related Sites and Documents:  Concept Note . Watch the Governing Industry, AI and Ocean Economies for Sustainable Global Futures! Meetings & Events

The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement , also known as the " High Seas Treaty ," is a legally binding UN treaty adopted in 2023 that entered into force on January 17, 2026. It aims to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in international waters—covering nearly half the Earth's surface—via, among others, the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and environmental impact assessments .   Related Sites and Documents:  Concept Note .   Watch the Ocean Intelligence 2.0: Deep Technology in Support of BBNJ Implementation! Meetings & Events

  Single-use Plastic . A cheap convenience has rapidly become a global crisis.⁣ ⁣ Understand The problem of plastic waste⁣ Plastic's health & environmental impacts⁣ Solutions for reducing plastic pollution⁣ ⁣The Global Plastics Treaty is a proposed legally binding UN instrument to end plastic pollution by addressing the full life cycle of plastics , from production to disposal. After a final round of negotiations in August 2025 ( INC-5.2 ) concluded without a full agreement due to divisions on key issues like production caps versus waste management , future talks are needed to finalize the treaty. The treaty aims to establish common global standards, promote a circular economy, and implement measures like bans on problematic products, improved design, and extended producer responsibility. The World Resource Institute .

   The second session of the Commission is scheduled to be held from 18 to 29 August 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Credentials of representatives (item 6) Other matters (item 7) Closure (item 8) The BBNJ 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; and Capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology. In its resolution 78/272, the General Assembly decided to establish a preparatory commission to prepare for the entry into force of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction and to prepare for the convening of the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement. Pursuant to General Assembly decision 78/560, the first s...

The second session of the Commission is scheduled to be held from 18 to 29 August 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Item 5 (continued) Reporting back on parallel meetings Rules of Procedure of the Conference of the Parties (Cluster I: Issue 1) The BBNJ 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; and Capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology. In its resolution 78/272, the General Assembly decided to establish a preparatory commission to prepare for the entry into force of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction and to prepare for the convening of the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement. Pursuant to General A...