The adoption in June 2023 of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement signified a change in tides, not only for ocean governance in areas beyond national jurisdiction, but also for biodiversity conservation. With the expectation that the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and ratification of the BBNJ Agreement will soon come into fruition, stakeholders are becoming increasingly aware of the possible opportunities and challenges that it may bring. This side event considered how the BBNJ Agreement can work in synergy with efforts undertaken by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the GBF.

This event featured reports on progress made through the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) Global Dialogue, launched in 2016, and highlighted the importance of cooperation and collaboration among regional bodies for achieving global goals and targets.

Delegates will focus on approving an assessment on the biodiversity-water-food-health nexus as well as an assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and the determinants of transformative change.

In their last scheduled meeting to agree on treaty text to "end plastic pollution," negotiators may base their discussions on a new non-paper by INC Chair Luis Vayas that builds on the common ground between countries.