On June 25, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a resolution authorizing the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Svitlana Hrynchuk, to sign the international Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction — also known as the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement). The document will now be submitted to the President of Ukraine for signature.
This step marks progress toward Ukraine’s accession to a new international mechanism for protecting ocean ecosystems and ensuring the sustainable use of marine resources in international waters.
The High Seas Treaty, adopted in 2023, is the third implementing agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Its goal is to establish unified global rules for biodiversity protection in areas covering two-thirds of the world’s oceans.
The agreement includes:
- the creation of marine protected areas,
- an environmental impact assessment mechanism,
- fair access to oceanic genetic resources,
- support for scientific research and technology transfer.
Minister Hrynchuk emphasized:
"Joining the High Seas Treaty is not only an environmental protection issue but also a clear demonstration of Ukraine’s pro-European course, its readiness to fulfill international obligations, and its intention to help shape global ocean conservation policy. Despite the war, we continue integrating into the global environmental community — to protect biodiversity, combat climate change, and confront environmental threats, including those stemming from the aggressor state."
She also noted the importance of Ukraine’s accession even though the country does not have direct access to the open ocean.
Signing the High Seas Treaty will:
- strengthen Ukraine’s position in the fight against climate change and environmental pollution;
- support the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity, ratified by Ukraine in 1994, including the target to protect 30% of land and oceans by 2030;
- align with the Paris Agreement (ratified in 2016), particularly in discussions on Blue Carbon — carbon absorbed by marine ecosystems;
- reinforce Ukraine’s pro-European trajectory and align with the diplomatic priorities of the EU, especially France, which actively promotes the treaty internationally;
- provide Ukraine with a voice in global marine conservation policy-making;
- counter the interests of the aggressor state, which opposes the agreement;
- open new opportunities in science, pharmaceuticals, and chemical industries;
- draw international attention to Russia’s environmental damage in Crimea and the Black Sea region.
