UN in historic agreement to protect planet's marine biodiversity

United Nations member countries have for the first time ever reached agreement on a unified legal treaty to protect marine biodiversity in the high seas, helping to protect almost half the planet’s surface that is beyond national maritime borders.

- Heather Prentice

The breakthrough agreement in March, after nearly two decades of talks, was welcomed by UN SecretaryGeneral António Gutterres. ‘This action is a victory for multilateralism and for global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health, now and for generations to come,’ said the UN chief in a statement.

The agreement reached by delegates of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) is the culmination of UN-facilitated talks that began in 2004.

Already being referred to as the ‘High Seas Treaty’, the legal framework would put more money into marine conservation and covers access to and use of marine genetic resources.

High seas refers to the vast majority of the ocean that lies beyond national maritime boundaries. This open water is not governed by any one country and covers around two thirds of the ocean’s surface.