This was a amendment on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026. The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 is UK law implementing the UN Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement for activities in areas beyond national waters. It creates a UK-wide framework to regulate access to marine genetic resources, share benefits, require information deposition and data sharing, and strengthen environmental safeguards, with new powers for Scotland and Northern Ireland and measures to tackle plastics pollution and build capacity in developing nations.
•Implements the UN BBNJ framework in UK law, covering access to marine genetic resources, benefit-sharing, deposits of samples and recording of genetic information.
•Strengthens environmental safeguards and licensing, including enhanced environmental impact assessments for activities beyond national jurisdiction and measures to protect deep-sea ecosystems and promote sustainable fishing.
• introduces devolved regulatory powers for Scotland and Northern Ireland to meet international obligations, with consultation rules and procedures to align devolved and UK-wide regulation.
•Addresses offshoring risks and advocates transparency through capacity-building, technology transfer, plastics action, and information sharing requirements (including a Clearing-House Mechanism).
