Highlights and images for 19 August 2025

“A multilateral environmental agreement is as good as its means of implementation,” stressed a delegate, following a day of technical deliberations on financial provisions. She emphasized that striking the right balance on such rules is of paramount importance for the effective implementation of the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).

In the morning, Co-Chairs Janine Coye-Felson (Belize) and Adam McCarthy (Australia) provided oral reports on the parallel discussions held on Monday afternoon. They noted the draft terms of reference and modalities for the operation of the Scientific and Technical Body will be issued for delegates’ consideration on Thursday, 21 August, and a refreshed aid to discussions on arrangements with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) on Friday, 22 August.

The rest of the morning was devoted to financial resources and mechanism, based on a note prepared by the Secretariat (A/AC.296/2025/18). Delegates focused on:

• the establishment and operationalization of the voluntary trust fund;
• arrangements to give effect to the provisions on the special fund; and
• additional matters for consideration, including the scale of assessed contributions.

On the voluntary trust fund to support participation of developing state parties, in particular least developed countries (LDCs), land-locked developing countries (LLDCs), and small island developing states (SIDS), delegates expressed divergent positions on the fund’s administration. They further disagreed on establishing limitations of access to funding for representatives of any party whose assessed contributions are in arrears beyond a specified threshold. Some delegates suggested a dedicated funding stream to support participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

On the special fund to support the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, a regional group highlighted the need to address governance, administration, and implementation, and another suggested a concrete timeline and milestones for the development of relevant terms of reference and the full operationalization of the special fund by the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP).

On other aspects of the financial mechanism, discussion focused on: guidance on eligibility for the financial mechanism as a whole; guidance on overall strategies and policies; coherence and complementarity between the funds; and a periodic review of the adequacy and effectiveness of the financial mechanism. Delegates further discussed ways to support participation at COP1, given that the voluntary trust fund will not yet be operational.

In the afternoon, delegates focused on funding of the COP, the Secretariat, and any subsidiary bodies. Co-Chair McCarthy introduced the revised aid to discussions (A/AC.296/2025/13).

Many delegates noted the importance of adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding, responsive to the needs of developing countries. Others underscored that the financial governance of the BBNJ Agreement depends on the model for the Secretariat.

Discussions focused on, among other things:

• the scope, with some opting for a Secretariat with a sufficient degree of independence;
• the financial period, with many delegates supporting a biennium;
• provisions on the budget, including the potential role of a finance committee providing recommendations to the COP and reviewing the availability and timely disbursement of funds; the provision by the Secretariat of cost estimates for actions that have budgetary implications; and potential supplementary budget proposals;
• provisions on funds and their administration, including options for the management of the general trust fund, rules for the working capital reserve, and decision making, with delegates expressing divergent views on whether the rules under discussion should be applicable, mutatis mutandis, to the voluntary trust fund;
• rules on assessed contributions and on potential maximum and minimum contribution thresholds, as well as contributions in arrears, and provisions on voluntary contributions and additional funding by public and private sources; and
• rules on auditing and administrative support costs.

Co-Chair McCarthy noted that a revised draft will be produced for further discussion.

At the end of the day, delegates resumed discussions on the rules of procedure for the COP, addressing, among other things: periodicity of COP meetings; online meetings and virtual participation; observer participation; consultations with other relevant frameworks and bodies; decision-making modalities including voting; quorum requirements; subsidiary bodies and the development of their agendas; emergency measures; and potential amendments to the rules of procedure.