Agreement On Maritime Biodiversity Enters Into Force

The entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement creates a number of strategic and legal considerations for commercial entities with interests in areas beyond national jurisdiction

On 17 January 2026, the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) entered into force. This milestone marks the transition of the BBNJ Agreement from a negotiated text to a binding multilateral framework. The Agreement governs areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) which comprises the high seas and the international seabed (which accounts for approximately two-thirds of the world's oceans).