High Seas Treaty (BBNJ)
Context: As of June 2025, 49 countries have ratified the High Seas Treaty, just 11 short of the 60 needed for it to enter into force.
Important Pointers:
Full Name: Agreement on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), also called High Seas Treaty.
Legal Framework: An international legal framework under UNCLOS to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Year of Adoption: Negotiated and adopted in 2023 to address ecological degradation of the high seas.
Key Objectives:
Marine Protection: Seeks to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to conserve ocean ecosystems.
Equitable Benefit Sharing: Ensures fair distribution of benefits from marine genetic resources.
Mandatory EIAs: Requires Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for activities affecting high seas ecosystems, even if conducted within national waters.
Support for Developing Nations: Promotes capacity building and transfer of marine technologies to developing countries.
Ratification & Legal Status:
Signatures and Ratifications (as of June 2025): Signed by 134 countries; ratified by 49. Becomes legally binding 120 days after 60 ratifications.
Ratification vs Signing: Signing = initial consent; Ratification = legal commitment under domestic law.
High Seas:
Defined Under: The 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas.
Geographical Scope: Areas beyond a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) – i.e., beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast.
Jurisdiction: No single country has sovereign rights; international cooperation is essential for conservation and management.