Marine Biodiversity Treaty is formally known as the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).
About BBNJ Agreement
- Adopted in 2023 by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction convened under the auspices of the United Nations.
- It becomes third implementing agreement to UNCLOS, in addition to 1994 Part XI Implementation Agreement and 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement.
- Objective: Ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ).
- ABNJ, often referred to as the High Seas, are global common oceans open to all for purposes such as navigation, overflight, laying submarine cables, pipelines etc.
- Applicable to High Seas and the Area, it addresses four main issues:
- Marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits
- Measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas
- Environmental impact assessments
- Capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology
- It establishes a funding mechanism and sets up institutional arrangements, including a Conference of the Parties, a Clearing-House Mechanism and a secretariat.
- India signed the agreement but is yet to ratify.
