Delegates at the third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the high seas (commonly known as BBNJ) convened in an open informal working group on area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs). They also met in two closed-door “informal-informals,” to discuss certain aspects of environmental impact assessments (EIAs), and access to marine genetic resources.

In the corridors, strong calls were made to keep an eye on the purpose of the global treaty, with one delegate “highlighting, underlining and underscoring” the need for swift progress, saying that “millions of species are at risk: that alone should spur us to better use the time we have here.” Read full report

Committee I of CITES CoP18 began consideration of listing proposals on timber while in Committee II delegates considered agenda items on elephant and rhino.On closure of domestic elephant ivory markets, some countries emphasized that legal domestic ivory markets drive demand, complicate enforcement efforts and are linked to poaching and the illegal ivory trade. Read full coverage