Eighth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction (BBNJ)

The eighth meeting of the UN General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction (BBNJ) took place from 16-19 June 2014, at UN Headquarters in New York. It was the second of three meetings (April 2014, June 2014 and January 2015) to discuss the scope, parameters and feasibility of a possible new international instrument on marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The outcome of these meetings is expected to contribute to a decision to be taken at the sixty-ninth session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the development of a new international instrument under UNCLOS, as mandated by the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

Approximately 200 participants attended the meeting, including national delegations, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The meeting was largely considered successful in clarifying a series of substantive elements of a new agreement on BBNJ that were considered necessary to prepare recommendations to the UNGA at the next meeting of the Working Group in January 2015.

Delegates delivered general statements on Monday, and engaged in plenary discussions on the scope and parameters of a new international instrument under UNCLOS (Monday to Wednesday) and on its feasibility (Wednesday). They also discussed next steps in the process (Wednesday and Thursday). This briefing note summarizes the discussions and outcome of the eighth meeting of the Working Group, and is organized according to its agenda. 

Download the IISD RS’ briefing note of the meeting in HTML or PDF format.