After 20 years of negotiations and almost two years since it was adopted, the High Seas Treaty entered into force on January 17, 2026. With more than 80 countries signed on, the world’s first legal framework to conserve and protect marine biodiversity in international waters is being celebrated as a multilateral win for the ocean and humanity.
“This is a historic achievement –– for people and planet; for international cooperation and the United Nations,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on the milestone occasion. “The Agreement fills a critical governance gap to secure a resilient and productive ocean for all,” he said of the Treaty, officially called the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement.
The ocean, Earth’s largest ecosystem, is deeply intertwined with the climate, global trade and economy, and global food systems. It sustains livelihoods, cultures, and communities. Two-thirds of the ocean exists outside of any country’s national jurisdiction (“the high seas”) without clear, holistic regulation or coordination. The BBNJ Agreement will finally deliver a path to tackle ocean governance issues that, until now, were left unaddressed.
The Agreement will be a springboard for dialogue among countries, multilateral organizations, and industries on critical and consequential priorities. It also levels the playing field, allowing all countries to have a voice in how key aspects of the Agreement will be addressed, including:
- Environmental impact assessments.
- Area-based management tools, including marine-protected areas.
- Marine genetic resources –– plus how to share their benefits fairly.
- Capacity-building and technology transfer for countries to advance marine research.
Now leaders must harness determination to move the BBNJ Agreement from a celebrated negotiation to full, effective implementation to ensure all parties sustainably use and conserve the ocean.
Dive Deeper on the BBNJ Agreement
At the United Nations Foundation, our team of ocean and climate leaders has been engaging with the ocean science community, closely tracking the impacts and details of the BBNJ Agreement by exploring trends, key themes, and commentary.
Their reading list covers essential facts, leading voices, and what comes next for this landmark agreement. Check it out:
- Facts, explainers, and resources from the UN’s BBNJ Hub (United Nations): Discover how the four pillars of the BBNJ Agreement will be established, monitored, and governed among relevant instruments, frameworks, and international bodies.
- Game-changing International Ocean Treaty Comes Into Force (United Nations): Learn must-know information on the BBNJ Agreement, including which major economies have ratified the Treaty and what is needed to make the Treaty effective.
- Small Island Developing States react to the BBNJ’s entry into force (Alliance of Small Island States): Read the reflections of a coalition of 39 small island and coastal states on their participation in shaping the BBNJ Agreement and their vision for progress and implementation.
- The Hidden Natural Wonders of the World (High Seas Alliance): Explore which biodiversity hotspots in the high seas could be among the first marine-protected areas under the BBNJ Agreement.
- A Path to Creating the First Generation of ‘High Seas’ Protected Areas (Pew Research Center): Uncover 10 research-based ocean sites around the world that could help safeguard biodiversity under the protection of the BBNJ Agreement.
- After 20 Years, an Agreement to Safeguard the ‘High Seas’ Takes Force (World Resources Institute): Learn what the Treaty does and does not cover, and how the first BBNJ Conference of Parties (COP) will take shape.
