In remarks delivered at a “High Seas for One Ocean Reception” amid UN negotiations for an agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond jurisdiction (BBNJ), U.S. Asst. Sec. for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Monica Medina today voiced her hope for a BBNJ agreement in 2022.
Medina said that a strong and effective agreement is “a priority” for the United States, calling it a “once in a lifetime opportunity to reset our relationship with the high seas” and “take a coordinated and cross-sectoral approach to establishing marine protected areas in areas beyond our national jurisdictions.” She went on to state that agreement is needed to conserve or protect 30% of the global ocean by 2030, which she said “is a goal that the Biden Administration is committed to achieving.”
The reception was hosted by the Government of France, High Seas Alliance, and International Union for Conservation of Nature.
