BBNJ Cross-Reference

The BBNJ Agreement is the 2023 treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, adopted under UNCLOS on 19 June 2023. It is the third implementing agreement to UNCLOS, covering marine genetic resources and benefit sharing, area-based management tools including marine protected areas on the high seas, environmental impact assessments, and capacity building. It complements rather than overrides IMO instruments such as the Ballast Water Management Convention and the AFS Convention, which already address vessel-source biofouling and invasive species transfer. The agreement opened for signature 20 September 2023 and requires 60 ratifications to enter into force.