WCC 2020 Res 128 - Activity Report

In September 2023, the United Nations officially adopted a new international agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (called the BBNJ Agreement). Within just a few months, 86 countries signed the treaty and one has become a formal Party. WCPA members have been deeply engaged in the decades-long process to conclude this agreement, which marks a watershed moment in the global commitment to safeguarding the health and vitality of the world’s oceans. Members of the High Seas Specialist Group are now working on how to quickly implement the agreement, to foster high seas MPAs, and to help envision sustainable futures for the high seas.