Conservation of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ)

In Ocean & Coasts

Five Regional Seas Conventions currently include Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) under their geographical coverages: OSPAR Convention, Noumea Conventrion, CCAMLR Convention, Barcelona Convention, and Lima Convention.

  • Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention)
  • Convention on the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment in the South Pacific Region (Noumea Convention)
  • Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR Convention) 
  • Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution (Barcelona Convention)
  • Convenio para la Protección del Medio Marino y la Zona Costera del Pacífico Sudeste (Lima Convention)

Parties and member countries of the following two Regional Seas programmes also started studying the issues related to biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction:

  • Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Western Indian Ocean
  • Abidjan Convention for Cooperation in the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Atlantic Coast of the West, Central and Southern Africa Region

Resources

Past side events on Regional Seas and BBNJ

  • Regional Ocean Governance in Practice: the Mediterranean Experience (31 August 2016)
    • Presentation by MAP and GFCM

       
  • Regional Seas Programmes and Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (6 September 2016)
    • Summary of the event
    • Regional Seas Programmes and ABNJ (IDDRI)
    • Partnership for Regional Ocean Governance and its support for the Regional Seas programmes in relation to ABNJ (IASS)
    • Abidjan Convention and ABNJ (ABC)
    • Southeast Pacific - CPPS initiative under the Galapagos Commitment (CPPS)

Relevant Publication

In Ocean & Coasts

Related Sustainable Development Goals