The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) commends the Government of Jamaica for signing the landmark Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, which represents a crucial step in protecting the world’s oceans and marine life.

 This historic new Treaty will enable and enhance the protection of biodiversity in the high seas and the deep ocean, the largest living space on our planet. Signing this treaty demonstrates Jamaica’s commitment to preserving marine biodiversity, sustainable ocean governance, and the protection of vital ecosystems on the high seas.

The BBNJ Treaty focuses on conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which make up nearly two-thirds of the ocean. This “global common” belongs to humanity but lacks coordinated protection. After years of negotiations, the treaty was established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to address biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and climate change impacts. It promotes cooperation among nations, emphasizes marine research, and seeks to ensure equitable sharing of benefits from marine resources, particularly for developing countries.

Despite this achievement, concerns remain regarding Jamaica’s role as a sponsoring state for deep-sea mining (DSM). “As we celebrate the signing of the BBNJ Agreement, we must also confront the inconsistency in supporting deep-sea mining, which jeopardizes the same fragile ecosystems this agreement seeks to protect,” said Dr. Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO of JET. “The destruction of deep-sea habitats, many of which are still unexplored, could have far-reaching and harmful impacts on biodiversity and climate regulation.”

JET urges the Government of Jamaica to reconsider its support for DSM and prioritize the long-term health of our oceans as is required under the BBNJ Agreement.