Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement
The high seas belong to no one - but protecting them is everyone’s responsibility.
We welcome the news that the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement has now become UK law, having received Royal Assent. This marks the completion of the UK legislative process required to ratify and implement the landmark High Seas Treaty.
With the passing of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill, the UK can now formally implement the international BBNJ Agreement – a global treaty designed to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which encompass almost two‑thirds of the global ocean.
The Agreement, which entered into force globally on 17 January 2026 after reaching the required ratification threshold in September 2025, establishes the first comprehensive legal framework for protecting biodiversity in international waters. It supports four major areas of action:
- Marine genetic resources and fair benefit‑sharing
- Area‑based management tools, including new high‑seas Marine Protected Areas
- Environmental impact assessments for activities that may affect biodiversity
- Capacity‑building and technology transfer for developing states.
This major legislative milestone strengthens global ocean governance and supports internationally coordinated efforts to protect marine life, mitigate climate impacts, and advance biodiversity recovery.
The CPR Survey is well aligned with these goals through long-standing international collaboration, open FAIR-compliant data sharing, and sustained global training. Samples are collected for ecological monitoring - not bioprospecting - and manages them under a transparent access protocol.
As the BBNJ framework evolves, it may introduce new requirements for reporting, benefit-sharing, or permitting in plankton sampling. However, its strong focus on cooperation, transparency, and shared scientific capacity directly compliments the CPR Survey’s mission and operational strengths.
