A landmark UN treaty to safeguard marine biodiversity on the high seas has now met the required 60 ratifications for entry into force, clearing the way for it to take effect in January 2026.
The treaty, formally known as 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 by UN Member States in June 2023 after nearly two decades of negotiations.
The pact – commonly referred to as the “High Seas Treaty” – covers two-thirds of the world’s ocean area that lies beyond national boundaries.
It establishes legally binding rules to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity, share benefits from marine genetic resources more fairly, create protected areas, and strengthen scientific cooperation and capacity building.
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IMO took an active part in the negotiations during the sessions of the BBNJ Conference, to ensure that IMO will play an important role in the implementation of the BBNJ Agreement and that the new instrument will not negatively impact IMO's existing mandate and framework.
Many IMO measures actively contribute to the conservation of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, including the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The BBNJ Agreement and the IMO’s 2025 World Maritime Day theme - “Our Ocean: Our Obligation – Our Opportunity”- are deeply interlinked and they correlate in both spirit and substance.
