WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - An international agreement to protect and sustainably use marine life in international waters and the international seabed has come into force, marking a major step forward in efforts to ensure the health of ocean ecosystems for decades to come.
Officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the legally binding UN treaty covers the ocean zones that lie beyond national waters, namely, the 'high seas', and the international seabed area.
These regions make up more than two-thirds of the ocean's surface, representing more than 90 per cent of Earth's habitat by volume. This is because the ocean is vast, and most living space on Earth is underwater.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that in a world of accelerating crises, the agreement 'fills a critical governance gap to secure a resilient and productive ocean for all. Let us now move swiftly to universal and full implementation.'
The BBNJ is designed to ensure that the 'high seas' and international seabed are managed sustainably for the benefit of all humanity.
It is also the first legally binding ocean instrument to provide for inclusive ocean governance, with provisions on the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and on gender balance.
It is hoped that, once it is fully implemented, the Agreement will make a vital contribution to addressing the so-called 'triple planetary crisis' of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
After the entry into force, it becomes legally binding for the 81 nations that have ratified the treaty so far, meaning that they agree to put it into effect at the national level.
The countries that have so far ratified the BBNJ include several major economies, notably China, Germany, Japan, France and Brazil.
China has a particularly important impact on industries connected to the ocean such as shipbuilding, aquaculture, fisheries and offshore oil and gas, exporting some $155 billion of ocean-related goods in 2023, according to UN trade agency figures.
The U.S., the world's biggest economy, has not yet ratified the treaty.
India, the UK and Russia are still to ratify it.
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