Vast swathes of our ocean exist beyond the boundaries of any one country — and that area is home to huge amounts of biodiversity and even never-before-encountered species. It must be protected and used sustainably.
In fact, two-thirds of the ocean lies in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), that is, beyond the territorial waters or exclusive economic zones of individual states. ABNJ make up 90% of the globe’s occupied habitat and support rich and abundant biodiversity known as biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions (BBNJ), including millions of unidentified species.
ABNJ also play host to activities of global interest and import — they are fished and explored, and transited not only by the vast majority of global trade but also by the submarine cables that underpin international financial markets and global communications.
