Deep discovery: the potential of marine genetic resources from deep sea habitats and paths forward for addressing key societal challenges under the BBNJ Agreement

Our deep ocean remains the last great unexplored wilderness of our planet, both in terms of biodiversity and potential marine genetic resources. It is the largest ecosystem on earth, but the least known, with recent estimates from Pacific regions showing 90% of deep-sea species as undescribed. The extreme conditions and habitat variety of the deep ocean drive adaptation and evolutionary novelty; extremophile organisms that live in deep-sea vents or abyssal plains therefore present vast potential for marine genetic resources of benefit to society. However, our oceans are under an existential threat from unprecedented biodiversity loss, impacted by climate change, pollution, and human activities such as fisheries, shipping and extractive industries. We are facing a future of countless deep-sea species and potentially invaluable marine natural products being lost before they are even discovered. Addressing ocean health is key for conservation of marine biodiversity and genetic resources, of benefit to all. Deep sea marine genetic resources and natural products could help address pressing needs, including climate change mitigation, human health- including needs for new medicines and addressing a looming antimicrobial resistance crisis, and for environmentally sound industrial processes. Discoveries can inspire new technologies, and the deep ocean provides the best biodiscovery platform on our planet. Here, scientific innovation under robust ocean governance is needed. It is time to operationalise the new Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement with sustainable, equitable and interdisciplinary research that addresses both knowledge gaps for biodiversity of our deep ocean habitats but also their potential societal value in terms of natural products and wider benefits.