Press Release – 6 March 2023
On Friday 4 March, after many years of negotiations, UN member states agreed a legal framework that will place 30% of the world’s High Seas into Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030. The Biodiversity Beyond Natural Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, or the ‘High Seas Treaty’, will provide stronger protection of marine biodiversity in international waters, aiming to ensure sustainable development and to reverse biodiversity loss by mitigating the impact of climate change, pollution, shipping and overfishing.
KIMO members welcome this breakthrough, although we note that the level of protection in these new MPAs is as yet unresolved, and that the treaty has yet to be formally adopted. KIMO members believe that a collaborative cross-sectoral approach will be crucial to reach the ambition set out in the agreement, and we stand ready to work together across borders to support implementation of measures.
KIMO Contact:
Arabelle Bentley
Executive Secretary
8 North Ness Business Park
Lerwick
Shetland LE1 0LZ, UK
Press enquiries:
[email protected]
Notes to editors:
KIMO (Municipalities for Sustainable Seas) is an association of coastal local authorities whose goal is to eliminate pollution from the Northern Seas. The members include municipalities and organisations representing over 6 million inhabitants in Belgium, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
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