The Ocean

Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)

• In its resolution 72/249 of 24 December 2017, the General Assembly decided to convene an Intergovernmental Conference, under the auspices of the United Nations, to consider the recommendations of the Preparatory Committee established by resolution 69/292 of 19 June 2015 on the elements and to elaborate the text of an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
• On 19 June 2023, the Conference adopted, by consensus, the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (A/CONF.232/2023/4).
• As of 19 September 2025, the BBNJ Agreement has reached the required threshold of 60 ratifications, triggering its entry into force for 17 January 2026. The agreement has 145 signatories and 61 Parties. This consensus milestone was anticipated and confirmed by global legal and environmental monitoring groups.
• The Maldives signed the BBNJ Agreement on 3 September 2024 and ratified the Agreement on 24 September 2024.

Group of Friends to Combat Marine Plastic Pollution

• The Group of Friends to Combat Marine Plastic Pollution was established under the co-chairmanship of Maldives, Norway and Antigua and Barbuda and was launched on World Ocean Day, 8 June 2020, with the participation of 46 United Nations Member States.
• With global plastic production projected to triple over the next two decades, and the continued overuse of single-use plastics contributing to a growing environmental catastrophe, a number of actively engaged countries initiated discussions in late 2019 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. These discussions aimed to strengthen coordination and build on existing efforts across various international forums and levels of governance to effectively address marine plastic pollution.

UN Oceans Conference

• The Ocean Conference, is a series of conferences held since 2017, to identify ways to address the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and Sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
• The first conference was co-hosted by Fiji and Sweden, from 5 to 9 June 2017 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
• The second conference was co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, and held from 24 June to 1 July 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal. The conference came on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to identify common solutions to realise the SDGs.
• The third UN Oceans Conference was held from 9-13 June 2025 in Nice, France, jointly organized by France and Costa Rica to accelerate action towards sustainable development goal 14 and drive implementation of ocean governance frameworks.

Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution

• Pursuant UNEP/EA.5/Res.14, adopted at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022, an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) was established to develop an international legally binding instrument to address plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. While the aim to conclude negotiations was by the end of 2024, divisions over global production caps and financial mechanisms forced multiple extensions into 2025 and 2026, leaving the final treaty text still unfinalized.
• The first session of the INC took place in Punta del Este, Uruguay from 29 November to 2 December 2022.
• The Maldives has been an active participant in these negotiations. Addressing existing plastic pollution remains a core demand by the AOSIS and the Maldives, with strong emphasis on justice and equitable support for coastal clean-up efforts and ecosystem restoration.