Delegates tasked with crafting an international legally binding instrument to end the scourge of plastic pollution will respond to a Revised Zero Draft text in their penultimate meeting.

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.

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.

The meeting will give Ocean advocates a chance to discuss recent negotiation wins and developments in treaty talks still underway as well as promote solutions that can reconcile the protection of the Ocean with the development of a sustainable blue economy.