The UN Agreement to Protect Biodiversity in the High Seas (BBNJ).

After more than 20 years of difficult negotiations and at the end of a final meeting lasting more than 38 hours, the UN has finally achieved the agreement for the protection of biodiversity in ocean areas located beyond the national jurisdiction of the various States. The Agreement, called in acronym BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en ) was adopted on 5 March 2023 and provides for the conservation of at least 30% of the ocean areas, the need for an environmental impact assessment for all activities, the sustainable use of marine genetic resources, the sustainable management of marine mining activities and the strengthening of capacities and technology transfers.

Now it will be up to UNCLOS to complete the specific legal norms and management mechanisms. A great and necessary step forward towards a better management of the Ocean, which can be further improved with the adoption of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Ocean.