Good News for the World’s Oceans at COP16 Environmental Summit

At COP16 in Colombia, a breakthrough was achieved on one of two crucial steps toward the protection of 30% of the world’s oceans. Marine ecologist Pia Norling from Sweden emphasized the progress in adopting EBSA (Ecologically or Biologically Significant marine Areas) criteria for identifying essential marine zones. However, formal adoption of the BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) treaty is still pending, with some countries, like Russia, opposing it.

This treaty, adopted in June 2023, is essential to protecting international waters.

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Valuable Marine Environments

The Convention on Biological Diversity has a list of seven criteria characterizing particularly sensitive and valuable marine environments:

1. Unique areas (from a global perspective)
2. Life-history critical areas (e.g., reproduction and nursery areas, wintering grounds, important for migratory species)
3. High biological diversity (many species)
4. Habitat for threatened species (e.g., ringed seals, porpoises)
5. Particularly vulnerable areas
6. High biological productivity (e.g., high production of plankton and fish)
7. Naturalness (unaffected by human activities)Facts: The Global Ocean Agreement

For an area to be classified as an EBSA (Ecologically or Biologically Significant marine Area), at least one criterion must be met.

The UN BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) agreement aims to protect marine biodiversity in international waters (outside national jurisdiction).

It was adopted on June 19, 2023, after 15 years of negotiations.

So far, 105 countries have signed the agreement, with 14 having also ratified it.

For the agreement to come into force, 60 ratifications are required.

Sweden signed the BBNJ agreement in September 2023 but has not yet ratified it.