Consultation outcome

Implementing Part 4 of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
21 November 2025
Last updated
2 April 2026 — See all updates
This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Summary of responses and government response

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Detail of outcome

Consultation on the implementation of Part IV of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement concerning Environmental Impact Assessments in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Original consultation

Summary

We’re asking for views and evidence on implementing Part 4 of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).

This consultation was held on another website.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

We want your views on proposed legislative changes to implement the EIA part of the BBNJ Agreement as it applies to licensable marine activities. 

These include proposals about:

  • extending marine licensing to additional activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) 

  • exemptions for activities in ABNJ 

  • activity specific regulatory approaches 

  • the application process and guidance for regulating activities in ABNJ 

We want to know more about marine activities in ABNJ including:

  • what activities are taking place in ABNJ currently, and what activities may take place in ABNJ in future 

  • who is carrying out, or likely to carry out, these activities and what is their connection to the UK 

  • evidence on likely impacts of these activities

We’re also asking for views on a proposal to change how marine licensing responsibilities are shared between existing regimes.

Updates to this page

Published 21 November 2025
Last updated 2 April 2026 show all updates

  1. Added the summary of responses and government response.

  2. First published.

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