On 17 January 2026, the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) entered into force – 120 days after the date of deposit of the 60th ratification. As of that date, the BBNJ Agreement had 83 parties and 145 signatories.
Governments adopted the BBNJ Agreement on 19 June 2023, after nearly two decades of talks. The treaty opened for signature on 20 September 2023 and remained open for signature until 20 September 2025.
Negotiations are currently underway to prepare for the convening of the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 1) to the Agreement. The first session of the Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) convened in April 2025. The PrepCom’s second session took place in August 2025. The third session will be held from 23 March to 2 April 2026.
Advance, unedited documents for the PrepCom’s third session are available here. In addition to the agenda and programme of work, these include: rules of procedure for the COP; financial rules governing the funding of the COP; terms of reference (ToR) and modalities for the operation of, and rules of procedure for, the subsidiary bodies; arrangements to enhance cooperation with relevant legal instruments and frameworks; and documents on financial arrangements.
The BBNJ Agreement covers 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 (MPAs);
- Environmental impact assessments (EIAs); and
- Capacity building and the transfer of marine technology.
It also addresses cross-cutting issues relevant for all four of these areas.
“The entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement today stands as a monument to multilateralism and to the years of dedication, dialogue, and cooperative action by countless committed people around the world,” said Singapore’s Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee, who presided over the negotiations. “This Treaty embodies hope, resolve, and a shared commitment to a brighter future for the ocean and our planet,” she emphasized.
Now in force, the BBNJ Agreement aims to “enabl[e] stronger international efforts to protect our ocean, mitigate climate change, and safeguard the lives and livelihoods of billions of people worldwide.” [BBNJ Agreement Website] [UN Treaty Collection: BBNJ Agreement] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on BBNJ Agreement Reaching 60 Ratifications]