​Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) cover 40% of the surface of the planet, and provide a wide range of marine ecosystem services that play a vital role in supporting human health, society and economy. Previously, ABNJ have been afforded some protection from the impacts of human activities due to their remoteness. However, advances in marine technology have enabled easier access to ABNJ and as such, these areas may face increasing pressures from human activities. A means of addressing these pressures and balancing different marine activities is the use of area-based planning approaches. This report explores four case study regions in which area-based planning has been undertaken in ABNJ. The report explores the different institutional and legal frameworks in place to facilitate planning, different types of area-based planning, as well as the enabling conditions present in each region. The report presents the key findings and their relevance to two project pilot regions: the South East Pacific and the Western Indian Ocean, to provide insight into how area-based planning could be undertaken in ABNJ in the future. This report was produced as part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) jointly implemented Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project entitled ‘Sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity conservation of deep-sea living resources and ecosystems in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction’.