The UK has joined more than 90 countries in ratifying the United Nations Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also known as the UN Ocean Biodiversity Treaty or High Seas Treaty. The agreement aims to protect marine life in areas beyond national borders and supports the global goal of conserving 30 per cent of the world’s ocean by 2030. 

Professor Marcel Jaspars, from the School of Natural and Computing Sciences, and Professor Abbe Brown, from the School of Law, have been involved in the treaty process for more than a decade, contributing expertise that helped shape key aspects of the final agreement. 

The treaty was adopted under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 2023 to improve the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean. It establishes, for the first time, a legal mechanism to create marine protected areas on the high seas, helping to conserve vulnerable habitats and species for future generations. 

Professor Jaspars and Professor Brown worked throughout the negotiations on complex issues including marine genetic resources, benefit-sharing arrangements and intellectual property. Drawing on their expertise in marine biodiscovery, science policy and international law, they provided advice that helped ensure the treaty would be both scientifically practical and legally robust. 

Their work also extended to collaboration with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, providing documentation and expert commentary that informed the development of the UK’s legal text for ratification. 

Professor Jaspars said: “The ocean is one of our planet’s most important life-support systems. Protecting biodiversity in international waters is essential not only for marine ecosystems, but also for global efforts to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.” 

Professor Brown added: “The agreement establishes stronger protections for marine biodiversity and introduces mechanisms to ensure the fair sharing of benefits derived from marine genetic resources. These resources, found in ocean organisms, have significant potential for applications in medicine, biotechnology, agriculture and scientific research.” 

A healthy and biodiverse ocean is critical for the planet, providing food, producing oxygen and helping regulate the global climate. The BBNJ Agreement also supports delivery of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the international commitment to protect 30 per cent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030. 

As more countries move towards ratification, the treaty is expected to become a cornerstone of global ocean governance, helping safeguard marine biodiversity for future generations while supporting sustainable use of the ocean’s resources.