Our ocean is at risk as man's increasing impact on the oceans have put cumulative stresses that threaten not only vulnerable sealife and marine ecosystems, but potentially, human health and serious socio-economic costs. The current governance of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) is characterized by a fragmented and often incoherent patchwork of regional and sectoral regimes.  The time has come for a shift in the past ocean governance paradigm, one that fills the current gaps and expands to be effective for both emerging and future unknown uses.

From 1-4 April, 2014, government gathered at the United Nations in New York, for ground-breaking discussions o whether to launch negotiations for a new high seas biodiversity agreement under UNCLOS.  These discussions continued at the UN from 16-19 June, with a focus on the 'scope, parameters and feasibility' of a new implementing agreement.

The High Seas Alliance released a series of policy briefs to coincide with these UN intersessional meetings