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The adoption of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ) signifies how Singapore can contribute constructively on an international stage, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said at a press conference on Jun. 21.
It also marked a victory for multilateralism and a victory for the United Nations, Vivian declared, speaking in the U.S. where he is on a working visit.
Historic agreement
On Monday (Jun. 19), the United Nations (UN) adopted a historic agreement which aims to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction which covered two-thirds of the ocean.
It is particularly significant as Rena Lee, Singapore's Ambassador for Oceans and Law of the Sea Issues presided over the BBNJ negotiations.
"She really had to wield diplomatic magic," Vivian said. "To listen to all parties, to arrive and bring the ship safely to harbour, and to be able to have a legally binding agreement."
The treaty is a good affirmation that Singapore can contribute constructively on the international stage because it has good diplomats and officials, Vivian noted.
He stressed the importance of the BBNJ treaty, especially at a time when the world was unsettled.
With the war in Ukraine and the push against globalisation, international laws and the role of the UN may sometimes be questioned.
The BBNJ treaty, however, marks a "big victory" for multilateralism and for the UN.
Big victory for collective action
The adoption of the BBN agreement is a testament to what can be achieved in the United Nations when countries take collective action in pursuit of a shared objective, Vivian said at the BBNJ Intergovernmental Conference and Engagements in New York on Monday (Jun. 19).
Singapore, as a city-state, relies on the ocean for survival and prosperity. The country's economy is also deeply intertwined with the ocean.
At the same time, Singapore recognises "the importance of multilateral cooperation under the aegis of the United Nations in establishing and upholding a rules-based international order founded upon international law," Vivian said.
The country also recognises the importance of BBNJ for the survival of small states in the world, including Singapore.
"We are all dependent on the oceans. It enables global trade and communications, it plays a critical role in climate systems and the water cycle and is a critical reservoir of marine biodiversity. This Agreement is a collective game changer for our efforts to conserve and to sustainably use marine biological diversity."
Challenges
That is not to say that the BBNJ agreement comes without its own set of challenges.
After successfully concluding the negotiations of the treaty, Singapore will now have to convince countries to actually come on board and implement the agreement.
Domestically, Singapore will also have to do a fair amount of public education on the BBNJ and how it is relevant to the country's public and business interests.
The agreement will open for signature on Sep. 20 2023 and Singapore intends to be one of the early signatories.
"We'll watch and see who else comes on board," Vivian said to Mothership. "We will probably need to engage in more diplomatic outreach at that point."
However, any ratification depends on the domestic processes in each country.
"So in a sense, each of us in each of the member states of the United Nations will have to make this pitch and explain to people why this [treaty] is important and why it is worth ratifying," Vivian said.
Five key points
The BBNJ agreement comes after nearly two decades of negotiations.
There are five key points on why this treaty concerning two-thirds of the world's oceans is important:
First, it aims to protect and ensure the responsible use of the marine environment to conserve the integrity of the ocean ecosystems.
Second, it aims to protect the oceans from pollution,
Third, it sustainably regulates and manages fish stocks.
Fourth, it addresses and tackles the adverse effect of climate change which is pushing ocean temperatures to new heights.
Fifth, the agreement is crucial to meet the United Nations' sustainable development agenda which aims to address the world's climate emergency.
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Top image via Vivian Balakrishnan/Facebook and Thomas Vimare/Unsplash.