The international legal agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (the BBNJ Agreement) currently being developed by the United Nations will be the foundation for conservation and sustainable use of these marine areas for the foreseeable future. As presently formulated the draft text seems more oriented to a reactive approach, based on the use of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to respond to proposals rather than proactively pursuing what needs to be done to ensure sustainability of ocean ecosystems in ABNJ. In this paper we argue that a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process could transform the way that the BBNJ agreement approaches conservation and sustainable use. By conceptualising SEA as a process designed to facilitate strategic thinking it can facilitate a proactive approach to ecosystem function conservation and enable transitions toward sustainability. We outline and describe a SEA process that could be incorporated into the BBNJ Agreement. This process would be consistent with the currently proposed structure of the Agreement and the EIA process that is currently envisaged. The proposed process comprises two interacting tracks of SEA and Marine Protected Area/Area-based Management Tool (MPA/ABMT) development. The process would also facilitate engagement of the full range of regional and global stakeholders required for effective governance of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ).

联合国目前正在制定的关于国家管辖范围以外区域海洋生物多样性保护和可持续利用的国际法律协议（BBNJ 协议）将成为在可预见的未来保护和可持续利用这些海域的基础。目前制定的文本草案似乎更倾向于反应性方法，基于使用环境影响评估 (EIA) 来回应提案，而不是主动寻求需要做的事情来确保 ABNJ 的海洋生态系统的可持续性。在本文中，我们认为战略环境评估 (SEA) 过程可以改变 BBNJ 协议处理保护和可持续利用的方式。通过将 SEA 概念化为一个旨在促进战略思考的过程，它可以促进对生态系统功能保护采取积极主动的方法，并实现向可持续性的转变。我们概述并描述了可以纳入 BBNJ 协议的 SEA 流程。该过程将与当前提议的协议结构和当前设想的环境影响评估过程一致。提议的过程包括 SEA 和海洋保护区/基于区域的管理工具 (MPA/ABMT) 开发的两个相互作用的轨道。该过程还将促进有效治理国家管辖范围以外地区 (ABNJ) 所需的所有区域和全球利益相关者的参与。我们概述并描述了可以纳入 BBNJ 协议的 SEA 流程。该过程将与当前提议的协议结构和当前设想的环境影响评估过程一致。提议的过程包括 SEA 和海洋保护区/基于区域的管理工具 (MPA/ABMT) 开发的两个相互作用的轨道。该过程还将促进有效治理国家管辖范围以外地区 (ABNJ) 所需的所有区域和全球利益相关者的参与。我们概述并描述了可以纳入 BBNJ 协议的 SEA 流程。该过程将与当前提议的协议结构和当前设想的环境影响评估过程一致。提议的过程包括 SEA 和海洋保护区/基于区域的管理工具 (MPA/ABMT) 开发的两个相互作用的轨道。该过程还将促进有效治理国家管辖范围以外地区 (ABNJ) 所需的所有区域和全球利益相关者的参与。提议的过程包括 SEA 和海洋保护区/基于区域的管理工具 (MPA/ABMT) 开发的两个相互作用的轨道。该过程还将促进有效治理国家管辖范围以外地区 (ABNJ) 所需的所有区域和全球利益相关者的参与。提议的过程包括 SEA 和海洋保护区/基于区域的管理工具 (MPA/ABMT) 开发的两个相互作用的轨道。该过程还将促进有效治理国家管辖范围以外地区 (ABNJ) 所需的所有区域和全球利益相关者的参与。