In 2023, the Conservative government signed up to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, generally referred to as the High Seas Treaty, at the first opportunity.

Two years later the current government is to introduce a bill officially setting out the legal framework for the treaty.

For the first time, the BBNJ Agreement will create a legal mechanism to set up protected zones in areas beyond national jurisdiction, helping to protect marine life and habitats in parts of the ocean that have previously been vulnerable to overuse and exploitation.

Minister Malhotra, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said: “Our oceans are under pressure, it’s undeniable. Unsustainable fishing, global warming, pollution all threaten to deplete the marine biodiversity we all value and rely upon.”

The agreement also sets out the fair sharing of benefits from the collection of and research into the genetic material of marine organisms, which may be used in medicines, cosmetics, agriculture and biotechnology.

The legislation will help the UK meet targets set out by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It also reinforces the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the foundation for international ocean governance.

Following the passing of the bill, further secondary legislation will be required before the BBNJ Agreement can be fully ratified by the UK.

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