Name: World’s first high seas pact enacted | Vietnam Today
Uploaded: 2026-03-20T09:10:21.000Z
Duration: 6 min 36 s
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Sentences with advanced comparative

As soon as the BBNG agreement came into effect, environmental organizations and experts hailed that it had ended a long standing lack of oversight in the high seas.

Basic passive voice

The treaty is now seen as the victory for international law.

Adverbs of manner

The Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction will legally bind its 83 ratifying states to support the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity in international waters.

From the perspective of the international community, this is a really important piece of new law because we have seen the plunder of wildlife and the damage to habitats in open ocean waters in these international spaces.

And without urgent action now to protect that wildlife, we'll lose the option to exploit those fisheries, for example, anyway, because there won't be fish there to take.

Conservationists warn governments must act quickly to achieve the global goal of protecting 30% of the world's oceans by 2030.

Because the high seas make up such a vast portion of the oceans, their protection is essential to reaching that goal.

So governments which have ratified the treaty, which means they have legally bound themselves to join the treaty, means that they now have power to protect it.

What we now need to see governments doing is putting marine protected areas into force in the high seas.

Vietnam was among the first countries to sign the agreement and one of the early nations to complete approval procedures helping the treaty reach the threshold needed to enter into force.

This early participation underscores Vietnam's strong commitment to protecting the oceans and conserving marine biodiversity.

As this is a relatively new issue, building a clear and accurate understanding is essential.

Joining the High Seas Treaty offers Vietnam a valuable latecomer advantage, boosting high quality human resources in ocean science, expanding access to technology transfer, and

enabling more active participation in international marine science and technology networks.

As a member of the BBNJ Agreement, Vietnam will take a larger part in mechanisms linked to its four core pillars.

These include access to and fair sharing of benefits for marine genetic resources, the establishment and management marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments for activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and

And the Chancellor of Marine Technologies to help us better understand the significance and potential impact of the BBNG Agreement and as well as what it could mean for countries like Vietnam.

Nguyen Thanh Joong, Research Fellow at the center for International Law at the National University of Singapore, joins us.

What does the BBNJ Agreement mean for the collective efforts of the international community in managing and protecting the oceans, especially areas beyond national jurisdiction?

So to understand the BB and J Agreements, I think it's helpful to start with its mother treaties.

The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law, the SEA or the unclass.

Basically, it's an implementing agreements under the unclass, right?

So it's designed to update the system in the Yunclaws and how to deal with problems that weren't fully addressed before.

So first it's changed how countries think about their shared responsibility for the oceans.

So countries have to access environmental impacts before certain activities take place.

My second point is that the BB and agreements in a sense create common platforms and encourage these international bodies to work together under the same key principle of international environmental law and the common heritage of mankind.

The agreement comes into force, what concrete opportunities will it offer developing countries like Vietnam and in conserving marine biodiversity, advancing scientific research and gaining access to international resources and technologies?

The most immediate benefits for Vietnam may not be money as such.

Instead, they are likely to bring in things like access to scientific data, biological samples and international research networks through the clearinghouse mechanism of the agreements.

And second, through the BBH agreements, Vietnam will have more opportunities to take part in the discussions about creating marine protected areas, for example, and

to make sure that the regional concerns and the state concern of Vietnam are taken into account when discussing these things at the international level.

And finally, I think there are real opportunities in capacity buildings and transport technologies for Vietnam.

So the agreements encourage corporations training and technology transfer through the voluntary funds created under the BB&J agreements and which can help many developing countries, including Vietnam, to strengthen its marine research capacities over time.

So what priorities should Vietnam set in order to contribute actively and effectively to the implementation of the agreement?

So Vietnam needs to make sure that its laws and policies are ready for the new agreements.

So for example, under the BBNG agreement, as I have mentioned before, if a Vietnamese companies or a research institute wants to carry out research on marine genetic resources or exploitation activities on the high sea.

But in environmental impact assessment now it's required under the BB&J agreements.

And moreover, this assessment has to be transparent and they must be allowed comments from the publics and other affected countries in the future.

I think Vietnam should stay actively to be involved in these discussions at the UN level within the Conference of the Parties.

And by doing so, Vietnam can protect its interests as host of developing countries and also contribute to the broader global efforts through protecting the oceans.