OSPAR BBNJ statement
OSPAR statement on the 1-year anniversary of the opening for signature of the global agreement to protect marine biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction
Today, Friday 20 September 2024, marks the one-year anniversary of the opening for signature of the global agreement to protect marine biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement).
On this occasion, the OSPAR Commission has released the following statement:
‘The OSPAR Commission is the regional mechanism by which 15 Governments and the European Union cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic, including areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). For over 30 years now, OSPAR has been successfully working towards achieving a clean, healthy, and biologically diverse North-East Atlantic Ocean, which is productive, used sustainably and resilient to climate change and ocean acidification.
Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction cover approximately 40% of the OSPAR maritime area. The OSPAR Commission first established a series of Marine Protected Areas in ABNJ in 2010, and has, to date, collectively designated a total of 8 MPAs in ABNJ covering more than 1 million km2 of the OSPAR maritime area.
OSPAR Contracting Parties warmly welcomed the adoption of the BBNJ Agreement at the United Nations on 19 June 2023, the current 92 signatures and 8 ratifications to date, and see it as an important step in providing a legal basis for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in ABNJ that complements OSPAR’s mandate and the actions it is undertaking in the North-East Atlantic.
OSPAR has long believed that regional cooperation is the cornerstone of effective protection and sustainable use of the ocean, and that cross-sectoral and interregional cooperation and collaboration are fundamental to achieve these goals. The BBNJ Agreement re-enforces this and should act as a driver for improved coordination and cooperation.
In support of this, OSPAR Contracting Parties will continue to collaborate with other international and regional bodies, including through the Collective Arrangement, a multilateral forum to facilitate cooperation and coordination between legally competent authorities on area-based management to help deliver the ecosystem approach in the North-East Atlantic region.
The OSPAR Commission strongly supports the early ratification of the BBNJ Agreement and stands ready to support its future implementation. OSPAR Contracting Parties will make all efforts to complete their national procedures to ratify, approve or accept the BBNJ Agreement, noting that the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) would be a great opportunity to celebrate BBNJ’s entry into force and foster its swift implementation.
Recognising the need to operationalise the future relationship between the BBNJ Agreement and Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, OSPAR Contracting Parties will engage proactively in the implementation of all parts of the BBNJ Agreement, and in particular Parts III, IV, and V on area-based management tools, environmental impact assessments and capacity building.
OSPAR will also continue to expand its network of effectively managed, well connected, and representative marine protected areas and other effective conservation measures to cover at least 30% of its maritime area by 2030, in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and with a view to achieving a high level of protection over time and contribute to the implementation of] Part III of the BBNJ Agreement.’
Note for editors
1. The OSPAR Commission is the regional mechanism by which 15 Governments (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) and the European Union cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic, including marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.
2. 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) was adopted on 19 June 2023. The Agreement is open for signature by all States and regional economic integration organisations from 20 September 2023 to 20 September 2025. It will enter into force 120 days after the date of deposit of the sixtieth instrument of ratification, approval, acceptance or accession. For more information: https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en
3. OSPAR’s North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy (NEAES) 2030 details the commitments that OSPAR Contracting Parties have made to protect and conserve the North-East Atlantic and can be viewed here www.ospar.org/convention/strategy
4. The OSPAR Commission network of North-East Atlantic Marine Protected Areas (MPA) now comprises 583 MPAs covering a surface area of 1.5 million km2 or 11% of the North-East Atlantic. This includes 8 MPAs in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.