World Oceans Day

Item 5 (continued)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 resolution 78/272, a Preparatory Commission to prepare for the entry into force of the Agreement and to prepare for the convening of the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement. Related Sites and Documents:  Website  &  Proposed organization of work (pdf) . Preparatory Commission: Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (Third Session, Informal Working Group! Live Gener...

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