Archives
19th Session of the UNFF
After a challenging week, delegates successfully adopted a declaration signalling high-level commitment to forests, and an omnibus resolution that reviewed the effectiveness of the International Arrangement on Forests and set the mandate for specific future actions to halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation.
4th Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, Including in the Marine Environment (INC-4)
While the plastic pollution negotiations started with lofty ambitions, it has become clear that a strong treaty is in no way guaranteed. With one more scheduled meeting left, some delegates left Ottawa wondering if they still had time to reach agreement to stem the tide of plastic pollution.
Global Stocktaking on Sustainable Energy (SDG7)
Participants lauded the progress made in improving energy access and boosting renewables, but emphasized the world is still not on track to achieve SDG7.
11th Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open ended Working Group to Enhance the Functioning of the ITPGRFA Multilateral System
Delegates made progress towards enhancing the Multilateral System that provides facilitated access to a list of crops considered vital for food security, with the aim to increase benefit-sharing flows to the stewards of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, which are primarily farmers in developing countries.
2024 Ocean Decade Conference
Participants shaped a set of ten draft white papers, which identify future priorities for the Ocean Decade to generate knowledge on science-based solutions to biodiversity conservation, climate change, food security, a sustainable ocean economy, pollution, and natural hazards.
1st Part of the 29th Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority
Environmental externalities, underwater cultural heritage, test mining, regional environmental management plans, environmental compensation fund, royalties, safety measures… The list goes on. New elements continue to be added to the already complex and interlinked group of elements that need to be agreed on in the negotiations on exploitation regulations for deep-sea mining.
15th Meeting of the Monaco Blue Initiative
Participants reflected on how to accomplish the urgent tasks for 2024, including progressing on ratification of the BBNJ Treaty, delivering on GBF objectives by 2030, and addressing important challenges like deep seabed mining, as well as overcome setbacks like the failure by WTO members to agree on a second phase of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
39th UN-Water Meeting
UN-Water Members, Partners with Special Status, Partners, and Observers engaged in a world café style brainstorming session on five issues related to the UN system-wide strategy for water and sanitation.
Blue Leaders High-Level Event on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction
Discussions focused on kickstarting the implementation of the new BBNJ treaty, especially by identifying marine protected areas. Many also underscored ocean-climate linkages and highlighted the importance of global cooperation on ocean science.