discussion / Community Base  / 19 January 2026

A historic moment for the ocean. The BBNJ Agreement comes into force

On January 17th 2026, the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on Conservation and Sustainable use of Marine Biological Diversity on Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) came into force. BBNJ is vital for marine wildlife because it creates the first global framework to protect species and their habitats in the high seas, where most of the ocean’s biodiversity lives and currently lacks coordinated conservation.