Norway backs high seas biodiversity treaty

Norway has ratified the international agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), becoming the 31st country to do so. The ratification was formalised at the United Nations headquarters in New York on June 5.

The agreement covers ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction, which comprise around two-thirds of the world’s oceans.

The UN said it aims to improve global ocean governance through cross-sectoral cooperation and to support the sustainable use of marine resources in international waters. A total of 60 ratifications are required for the treaty to enter into force.

The Norwegian Parliament approved the ratification unanimously on May 26. The government formally decided to ratify the agreement during the Council of State on 27 May. New legislation has also been adopted to support the agreement’s implementation domestically.

Norway plans to integrate the agreement into its broader international ocean policy and has committed NOK500,000 ($49,000) to a trust fund that will support the participation of developing countries in the agreement’s Preparatory Commission.

“As a fisheries and ocean nation, we know that sustainable ocean management is crucial for future food security, jobs and biodiversity,” said Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy Marianne Sivertsen Næss.