A landmark global treaty to safeguard biodiversity in the high seas came into effect on Jan. 17, 2026, providing countries with a legally binding framework to tackle threats such as overfishing and meet a target to protect 30 percent of the ocean environment by 2030.
The Treaty, which is officially known as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), came into force 120 days after the required threshold of 60 countries ratified the treaty – a target achieved on September 19, 2025. From illegal fishing and environmental degradation to human trafficking and unregulated resource extraction, the high seas have long been a lawless frontier. But with this treaty now in force, countries have a framework to establish marine protected areas, conduct environmental impact assessments and collaborate on enforcement and conservation.
The BBNJ Treaty is a landmark global accord to protect marine life in the high seas and the deep seabed (the areas of the ocean that lie beyond any country's national jurisdiction).
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