Highlights and images for 22 June 2018

Summary

On Friday, delegates to the nineteenth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-19) completed their work.

In the morning, delegations were given an opportunity to review the Co-Chairs’ draft summary of the week’s discussions. Plenary then reconvened for a page-by-page review. Delegates discussed the draft and suggested corrections and clarifications to best capture discussions.

Key points from the summary included:

  • Importance of addressing socioeconomic impacts on sectors such as tourism, fishing and transportation, among others;
  • Gaps in knowledge and lack of data on sources and impacts of anthropogenic underwater noise;
  • Anthropogenic underwater noise as a form of pollution and links with other drivers such as ocean acidification;
  • Management approaches highlighted by delegates, including area-based management tools and Environmental Impact Assessments; and
  • Suggestions that the UN General Assembly in a resolution could characterize anthropogenic underwater noise as a form of transboundary pollution to be mitigated and addressed.

The Co-Chairs thanked delegates for their participation in discussions over the course of the week and Co-Chair Beckles closed ICP-19.

A side-event titled, “The International Nitrogen Management System: A New Science-Policy Initiative to Reduce Nitrogen Pollution,” was hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme.

IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital coverage from the 19th Meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. In addition IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meeting, which is available in HTML and PDF.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera
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Plenary

A view of the room during the last day of the meeting

Co-Chair Kornelios Korneliou, Cyprus

Howard Rosenbaum, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS

John Brincat, European Union

Elizabeth Phelps, US

Alice L. de Juvigny, International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC)

Rebecca Lent, International Whaling Commission (IWC)

Nathan Merchant, Centre for the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture, United Kingdom

Frank Thomsen, Central Dredging Association (CEDA)

G. Latha, India

Fleur Hamilton, Australia

Nadia Deckert, France

Mariana Melcon, Argentina

Heidrun Frisch-Nwakanma, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)

René Dekeling, the Netherlands

Howard Rosenbaum, WCS

Ramona Sladic, Canada

Delegates read the Co-Chairs’ draft summary of the meeting

Delegates from Australia

Delegates from Guatemala

Delegates consult informally

Around the UN

L-R: Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, ENB; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Diego Noguera, Teya Penniman, and Wanja Dorothy Nyingi, ENB

Participants

Negotiating blocs
European Union