High Seas Alliance is proud that our Legal Advisor, Mr. Duncan E.J. Currie LL.B(Hons), LL.M was invited to present on the BBNJ Agreement’s provisions on coordination and cooperation with existing relevant international frameworks and bodies at the 30th anniversary celebrations of ITLOS.
You can find his paper/presentation here.
The views of this article are solely of the author and do not represent and official HSA position unless stated.
This draft ABMT/MPA proposal development guide developed by the High Seas Alliance is a contribution to support proponents of future area based management tools (ABMT), including marine protected areas (MPA) to be established under 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). Available here.
Welcome to our BBNJ COP 1 resource hub. Ahead of the first Conference of the Parties to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, we are publishing concise policy briefs to help navigate key negotiation topics on the institutional set up of the BBNJ Agreement or High Seas Treaty.
Our initial brief is available below, with additional policy briefs to be released as the conference approaches. Please check back regularly for updated analyses and insights.
To explore our past PrepCom briefings, visit our past PrepCom briefings page.
The 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) will take place from 23 to 29 March 2026 in Campo Grande, Brazil. Find our Deep Dive for this year’s meeting here.
This new report examines the economic, legal, and institutional implications of ratifying the High Seas Treaty for three Caribbean countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. Through a detailed cost-benefit analysis and stakeholder interviews, the report finds that all three states would experience positive long-term gains from ratification, from increased access to marine genetic resources and scientific capacity to stronger environmental protection and regional cooperation.
A briefing note on the Legal Implications of the Impending Entry into Force of the BBNJ Agreement is available here.
Read our Deep Dive on Universal Ratification to learn why it is important that as many countries ratify the High Seas Treaty. Available here.
In May 2025, nearly 70 leaders, scientists, policymakers and advocates gathered in Sydney for the first symposium dedicated to the South Tasman Sea and Lord Howe Rise: a volcanic “lost world” of towering seamounts, rich biodiversity, and deep cultural connections.
Continue reading Proceedings of the Lord Howe Rise and South Tasman Sea Research Symposium
New Report by NRDC, OceanCare and HSA for PrepCom: Designing an Effective BBNJ Clearing-House Mechanism: Insights and Guidance Drawn from Comparable Tools. Available here.
The following policy briefs provide the latest up-to-date insights into key issues under consideration at the third BBNJ Preparatory Commission. Additional briefings will be shared in the coming weeks.
The following policy briefs were made for the first and second BBNJ PrepCom, and may be out of date:
