First High Seas Treaty summit set for 2027 - The Namibian

The Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)—the so-called High Seas Treaty—has entered into force, and its first Conference of the Parties (COP 1) will take place in January. Internews reports the COP 1 will be held from 11 to 22 January 2027 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The treaty came into force on 17 January of this year after more than two decades of negotiations. The agreement is intended to help address conservation gaps on the high seas, which have previously been covered by a patchwork of regional arrangements and marine protected areas covering less than 1% of the high seas.