The Ocean, situated in the high seas together with the Area, are also referred to as Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). These areas are part of the global common covering almost half of our planet, providing critical ecosystem services vital for climate regulation in the long term. Scientists consider that only 1.2% of the marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction have been protected to date, which puts the security of our planet at risk.
In March 2023, after nearly two decades, an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations (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) was finalized and formally adopted by consensus on 19 June 2023. On 20 September 2023, the BBNJ treaty was opened for signature. Thus far, 83 countries have signed the Agreement. This considerable number of signatories demonstrates international political will to protect the Ocean in areas beyond national jurisdiction as a global common.
The need for sustained international cooperation for ratification and implementation the agreement is critical.
The BBNJ Informal Dialogues is a Track 1.5 platform that brings together government representatives, experts and other stakeholders to make concrete progress toward the ratification and implementation of the High Seas Treaty.
A ‘Track 1.5’ dialogue is designed in this context as an informal convening space primarily for Member States, along with select experts from UN agencies, international, regional and sectoral organizations and bodies and civil society. This platform was established in 2020 to support intersessional progress toward the adoption of the treaty.
The platform’s inclusive format allowed States, scientists and leading civil society experts to deepen the discussions on the practical aspects of the treaty provisions and to make considerable progress in the formal negotiations. The groundbreaking multilateral work done by ICDP contributed significantly to the successful conclusion of the BBNJ agreement in March 2023. More progress was made from 2020-2023 than in the previous 17 years the Agreement was under negotiation. This was due, in large part, to the BBNJ Informal Dialogues leadership under ICDP and the dialogues lead facilitators.
See details and schedule of the BBNJ Informal Dialogues
International Center for Dialogue and Peacebuilding 