PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
This program will be a conversation between Dr. Holly Doremus, Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Law of the Sea Institute at UC Berkeley, and the Honorable Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., who led the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from 2009 to 2013 and is Valley Chair in Marine Biology at Oregon State University, about the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty, which became effective January 17, 2026.  

Ratified by 88 countries as of April 30, 2026, the Treaty is the result of over 20 years’ work by United Nations members, scientists, and environmental organizations to protect and sustainably use the 'High Seas', the more than two thirds of the ocean that is international waters. 

Organized around four core pillars, the Treaty establishes a process for creating High Seas marine protected areas (‘MPAs’), creates a transparent process for completing environmental impact assessments, enables capacity-building and technology and knowledge-sharing among nations to support marine conservation, and provides protocols for the sustainable use and benefit sharing from marine genetic resources that might be used for medical and commercial purposes, inter alia. Ratifying nations are now pivoting to implementation of the Treaty, including making decisions about finance, transparency, compliance, and implementation procedures, through regular Conferences of the Parties (‘COPs’). 

The discussion will cover topics within biodiversity, environmental protection, and international law.

SPEAKERS:
Hon. Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D. | Oregon State University
Holly Doremus, Ph.D., J.D. | Director, Law of the Sea Institute, UC Berkeley Law