The world’s governments have finalised an historic agreement on protecting marine biodiversity in international waters — the treaty on Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) — after nearly 10 years of negotiations.
New U.N. High Seas Treaty
The new U.N. High Seas Treaty, as it is now known, covers the two-thirds of the ocean that lies outside national boundaries — nearly 50% of the planet’s surface.
The treaty provides a legal framework for establishing management areas and marine protected areas (MPAs), requiring environmental impact assessments (EIAs), building capacity and transferring marine technology, and sharing the benefits of the genetic resources of the high seas.
Virtual roundtable to discuss the U.N. High Seas Treaty
WOC is organising a roundtable discussion on the U.N. High Seas Treaty on 22 March, 2023
The World Ocean Council (WOC) is organising a roundtable discussion on the U.N. High Seas Treaty on 22 March, 2023.
The virtual meeting will brief the ocean business, investment and legal communities on the treaty’s implications for ocean economic activity, including the important opportunities for ocean industries to proactively engage in ensuring a healthy, productive, well-managed global ocean.
WOC Roundtables participation by invitation only
WOC Roundtables are by invitation only, designed to bring together relevant stakeholders for high-impact discussions. For those who would like to attend the WOC High Seas Treaty Roundtable, please submit the invitation request.
The World Ocean Council (WOC) has been participating in the Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) process for well over a decade; working to ensure the global ocean business community was informed and engaged.
WOC involved in the informal and formal BBNJ process
The WOC has been the only business organisation consistently involved in the informal and formal BBNJ process, and following that up with inter-sessional outreach to the global ocean business community, for example via webinars, briefing sessions at the WOC Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS) and analysis of the treaty text for the private sector.
