The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the high seas (more commonly known as BBNJ) convened on Tuesday, with delegates meeting in an open informal working group, as well as behind closed doors in two “informal-informals.”
In the corridors, some delegates found the new format refreshing while others expressed concerns about the new closed-door negotiating modalities, noting that, “Limiting participation at a time where transparency and public engagement have become a central tenet across the global political spectrum does not seem to be a step in the right direction.”Read full report |