A landmark international agreement that will create a legal mechanism to establish protected marine zones in waters beyond national jurisdiction has received Royal Assent in Britain.
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, entered into force on January 17 and the monarch’s formal agreement to the Bill marks the next step towards the UK ratifying the agreement.
Britain’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said on its website that the Bill had become an Act, meaning that UK ratification of the treaty was “another step closer”.
The agreement proposes that 30 per cent of the world’s high seas be turned into marine protected areas.
Once the UK has ratified the agreement, it will come into force for waters beyond Britain and its Overseas Territories.
While Bermuda cannot independently ratify, Noelle Young, a local activist who serves as a freelance consultant with Greenpeace UK, an environmental charity, has advocated that the island clearly states its intention to be involved early in decision-making processes.
Ms Young also said that the Sargasso Sea, which surrounds Bermuda, must be among the priority sites in the plan.
Without the Bill, protections are only possible within a country’s own waters.
Ms Young told The Royal Gazette: “Royal Assent is a major milestone and I am so excited and grateful to see this progress.
“The UK’s leadership on the BBNJ Act sends a strong message globally and I hope it gives Overseas Territories like Bermuda renewed confidence and a stronger sense of partnership with the UK.
“Sometimes island communities feel forgotten and this represents an important step towards rebuilding trust and strengthening that relationship.
“I look forward to learning how our community will be meaningfully consulted on the protections we would like to see established for the Sargasso Sea.”
As well as enabling zones to be created on the high seas, the agreement will require environmental impact assessments for activities that affect marine ecosystems while ensuring the fair sharing of benefits from research into marine resources.
It also aims to strengthen capacity building for developing states.
Enable the creation of marine protected areas on the high seas
Require environmental impact assessments for activities that could have significant impact on marine ecosystems in areas beyond national jurisdiction
Ensure the fair sharing of benefits from research into and utilisation of marine genetic resources, which have potential applications in medicines, cosmetics and biotechnology
Strengthen capacity building for developing states, by promoting knowledge sharing, along with broader technology transfer
* Information provided by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Defra, which introduced the BBNJ Bill in Parliament in September, said on its website: “For marine life, this means stronger protections in areas that have previously been vulnerable to exploitation.
“There are benefits for people too as a healthy marine ecosystem underpins important global fisheries and climate regulation critical for communities around the world.
“We’re pleased that the Bill has received Royal Assent, making it an Act and marking a significant milestone in our journey towards ratification.”
To ratify the BBNJ Agreement, the UK needs to enact secondary legislation that will ensure it can meet some of its obligations under the treaty.
This includes amending the marine licensing regime to ensure compliance with BBNJ environmental impact assessment obligations.
Defra added: “This process takes time but we’re committed to getting it right.
“By building a robust legal foundation, we’re ensuring the UK can play a meaningful role in protecting the high seas for generations to come.
“The first meeting of the Conference of the Parties must take place before January 16, 2027 and the UK intends to play a leading role at this and subsequent meetings.
“The ocean is under pressure from exploitation, climate change and pollution. Marine biodiversity is declining and with it, the ecosystem that billions of people rely upon.
“The BBNJ Agreement is a crucial tool in reversing this decline.
“It will help the UK and the international community meet the target, set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030.
“By progressing this legislation, the UK is demonstrating its commitment to leading on international climate and nature action.”
Bermuda has long championed the protection of the Sargasso Sea, including through the Hamilton Declaration, signed by the island in 2014 to protect a large area of the surrounding waters, and the work of the Sargasso Sea Commission.