THE UNITED Nations Conference on Trade and Development said it will contribute maritime knowledge and data to help countries implement the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement.
The BBNJ agreement follows recent progress toward ratifying the High Seas Treaty, which aims to protect biodiversity in the world’s oceans.
Once the High Seas Treaty takes effect, the BBNJ agreement will address biodiversity loss and ecosystems degradation due to climate change impacts and pollution.
Sixty UN member states would have to ratify the agreement for it to enter into force.
UNCTAD said it will support implementation of the new agreement by sharing expertise and data on ocean-based goods and services trade, maritime trade and blue bio-trade.
“With this new treaty, trade in ocean-based goods and services can be done in a more sustainable and co-operative fashion, particularly in marine technologies and sectors,” UNCTAD’s chief of the oceans and circular economy section David Vivas Eugui said.
UNCTAD expects the treaty to bolster efforts to make maritime transport more sustainable, as international shipping is one of the main economic activities on the high seas.
“Effective implementation and enforcement of the existing international legal framework for controlling pollution from shipping will become more important,” UNCTAD’s chief of policy and legislation section Regina Asariotis said.
Established shipping lanes may also be affected by marine protected areas to be established under the agreement.
UNCTAD noted the treaty needs to be ratified by many states as soon as possible to become effective.
