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UK government introduces legislation to help protect
two-thirds of the world's ocean.
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As part of the Plan for Change, this bill will help
support food security in the UK by safeguarding a key
source of the world's food and oxygen.
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This bill builds on the commitment to join global partners
supporting this treaty.
The UK government today (10 September) will introduce a landmark
bill to protect two-thirds of the world's ocean, a key source of
food and oxygen for people in the UK and all over the
world. This marks a major step forward in global
efforts to protect marine life and ecosystems beyond national
borders.
In 2023, the UK signed up to the Biodiversity Beyond National
Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement—often referred to as the High Seas
Treaty—at the first opportunity.
Having played a leading role in shaping the Treaty over more than
a decade of negotiations, the UK was among the first countries to
sign the agreement. Today's bill turns that commitment into
action, as the UK joins countries across the globe who have
supported the major international treaty.
With the ocean a key source of the world's food and oxygen, the
Agreement will help deliver security for the UK, in line with the
government's Plan for Change.
For the first time, the BBNJ Agreement will create a legal
mechanism to set up protected zones in areas beyond national
jurisdiction, helping to protect marine life and habitats in
parts of the ocean that have previously been vulnerable to
overuse and exploitation.
Marine Minister said:
Our ocean and all the precious life in it face irreversible
destruction from overfishing and runaway pollution.
This historic treaty will safeguard some of the ocean's most
vulnerable habitats and marine life, and help protect 30% of the
ocean by 2030 as part of our Plan for Change.
Minister Malhotra, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office,
said:
Our oceans are under pressure, it's undeniable.
Unsustainable fishing, global warming, pollution—all threaten to
deplete the marine biodiversity we all value and rely upon.
By introducing the BBNJ Bill in Parliament, we are delivering
security for the UK, in line with our Plan for Change—and
fulfilling our pledge to introduce legislation by the end of the
year.
The UK was one of the first countries to sign up to the BBNJ
Agreement when it was adopted after over a decade of talks.
Today, we begin the journey to ratifying this landmark treaty,
and ensuring our ocean can thrive in the years to come.
Sharks, whales, sea turtles and many other ocean species will
benefit from stronger protections. These measures will support
the recovery of marine ecosystems and help build a healthier,
thriving ocean that benefits both nature and people.
The agreement also sets out the fair sharing of benefits from the
collection of and research into the genetic material of marine
organisms, which may be used in medicines, cosmetics, agriculture
and biotechnology.
The legislation will help the UK meet targets set out by the
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, most importantly
the target to protect 30% of the planet's ocean by 2030. It also
reinforces the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as
the foundation for international ocean governance.
It realises a pledge made at the end of the third UN Ocean Conference in
June. By bringing this Bill to Parliament, the government
establishes the UK's intention to play a leading role in driving
international climate and nature action forward.
Following the passing of the bill, further secondary legislation
will be required before the BBNJ Agreement can be ratified by the
UK.
Background:
- This bill will provide the legal framework to enable the UK
to meet the obligations of the BBNJ Agreement, which is required
before the UK can ratify the agreement.
