By Bec Strating*
After nearly two decades of discussion and negotiation, on 5 March the United Nations announced a new agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, the Lowy Institute’s Interpreter reports. Referred to as the BBNJ agreement – Biodiversity Beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction – the text is an important step towards protecting and preserving marine ecosystems in the largest natural habitat on Earth.