A New High Seas Treaty: What it Could Mean for the Future of the Oceans
By: Mira Rhodes
The ocean makes up about 70% of the earth’s surface.[1] Because these waters flow outside national boundaries, they have always been unregulated and thus unprotected from human-created environmental threats.[2] However, in early March of 2023, United Nations (U.N.) member states agreed upon a High Seas Treaty aimed at protecting and conserving biodiversity in international waters.[3] This treaty is known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty.[4] The treaty was formally adopted by the U.N. in June of 2023[5] and signed by the United States on September 20, 2023.[6]
