Intl ocean experts call for multilateral pledges

International ocean experts at a forum in Beijing highlighted on Monday the importance of translating institutional frameworks into concrete action, saying healthy oceans underpin biodiversity conservation, climate stability and sustainable growth.

"Global ocean governance is entering a new implementation phase as countries work to deliver on commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the BBNJ Agreement," said Julie Dabrusin, Canada's minister of the environment, climate change and nature.

The BBNJ Agreement — formally known as the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction — is the third implementing agreement to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It entered into force in January and represents "an important step forward for ocean conservation and global ocean governance", Dabrusin said.

The remarks were made at a sideline event on biodiversity conservation and global governance held during the ongoing 2026 annual general meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, a high-level international policy advisory body.

Canada, which is bordered by three oceans and has the world's longest coastline, attaches great importance to ocean protection, Dabrusin said.

She added that ocean health and resilience are fundamental to climate stability, food security, resilient communities, sustainable growth and long-term economic competitiveness.

"The challenge is no longer defining ambition, but delivering results," she said.

Canada has strengthened its marine protected areas, placed indigenous governance at the center of conservation efforts and co-led global ocean observation initiatives. Nearly 18 percent of its coastal and marine areas are now under protection, she said.

Dai Minhan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a chair professor at Xiamen University, underscored the importance of science, including ocean observation, in translating high-level frameworks into effective ocean governance.

The high seas — ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction where no single country has sovereignty and all states enjoy freedoms of use under international law — cover nearly two-thirds of the global ocean but remain severely underprotected and understudied, Dai said.

Fragmented satellite systems, scarce in situ measurements and widening data gaps make it difficult to designate marine protected areas, conduct environmental impact assessments and implement multilateral agreements, he said.

Dai called for open, shared and continually updated global ocean observation, describing it as the backbone of area-based management, deep-sea biodiversity monitoring and cross-border marine spatial planning.

Wei Fuwen, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a professor at Jiangxi Agricultural University, said a nature-positive blue economy should not be viewed as a constraint on development, but rather as a redesign of how development works, with biodiversity considerations incorporated throughout the industrial process.

Frank Rijsberman, global head of policy and public funding at The Nature Conservancy, emphasized that "nature doesn't respect jurisdictional boundaries", calling for collaborative efforts to achieve nature-positive outcomes.

He said protection targets under different international agreements should reinforce rather than compete with or confuse one another.

"As these waters are found beyond the borders of any one nation, high seas protection by its very nature will require multilateral cooperation — something in short supply these days more than ever. We need the leadership of nations like China to demonstrate that cooperative action is possible," said Laure Katz, executive director at the Blue Nature Alliance.

Katz expressed hope for China to act as a pacesetter.

"By providing world-class scientific expertise and political backing for the early adoption of these conservation proposals, China can play a pivotal role in ensuring they are science-based, equitable, implementable and timely," she said.

"May the pace meet the urgency of this moment," Katz added.

limenghan@chinadaily.com.cn