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1st Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)

4-17 September 2018 | UN Headquarters, New York
L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS
Sora Lokita, Indonesia
Ana Villatta, El Salvador
Angel Horna, Peru
Amavaz Ghobadi Largroudi, Iran
Thembile Joyini, South Africa
Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland

+ Visit the web coverage for Wednesday, 12 September 2018

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Highlights for Tuesday, 11 September 2018

L-R: Michael Lodge, Secretary-General, International Seabed Authority, in conversation with Maruthadu Sudhakar, India

The informal working group on environmental impact assessments (EIAs) focused on:
•    decision-making process;
•    monitoring, review, and reporting; and
•    strategic environmental assessments.
The informal working group on marine genetic resources (MGRs), facilitated by Janine Coye-Felson (Belize), considered material, geographical, and temporal scope.

For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

EIAs Informal Working Group Facilitator René Lefeber, the Netherlands
Matthías Pálsson, Iceland
Saravanane Narayanane, India
Jessica Battle, WWF
Cymie Payne, IUCN
Lisa Speer, Natural Resources Defense Council
Wini Broadbelt, EU

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Highlights for Monday, 10 September 2018

L-R: Ma Xinmin, China, in conversation with Matthías Pálsson, Iceland

The informal working group on area-based management tools (ABMTs) discussed global, regional, and hybrid approaches, focusing on:
•    the decision-making process;
•    consultation; and
•    institutional arrangements.

The informal working group on environmental impact assessments (EIAs), facilitated by René Lefeber, the Netherlands, focused on:
•    relationships with other agreements; and
•    criteria and thresholds.

For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

L-R: ABMTs Informal Working Group Facilitator Alice Revell, New Zealand; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; and Valentina Germani, UNDOALOS
Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group
Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS)
Ninsemon Kida Rose, Côte d'Ivoire
Martín Mainero, Argentina

+ Visit the web coverage for Monday, 10 September 2018

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Highlights for Friday, 7 September 2018

L-R: Melanie Virtue, Convention on Migratory Species Secretariat; Takehiro Nakamura, UN Environment Programme; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS

Delegates at the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) continued to exchange views in an informal working group on capacity building and technology transfer (CB&TT). The informal working group on area-based management tools (ABMTs) started its work, focusing on:
•    objectives;
•    process; and
•    relationship with other instruments.
For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

L-R: CB&TT Informal Working Group Facilitator Olai Uludong, Palau; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; Vita Onwuasoanya, UNDOALOS; and Stefan Kuuskne, UNDOALOS
Fred Sarufa, Papua New Guinea
Mohamed Lamine Sidibe, Guinea
Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS)
Yagya Raj Poudyal, Nepal

+ Visit the web coverage for Friday, 7 September 2018

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Highlights for Thursday, 6 September 2018

A delegate from Cabo Verde casting her vote to determine the IGC Bureau members from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean countries (GRULAC)

Delegates at the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) continued to exchange views in an informal working group on capacity building and technology transfer, focusing on:
•    modalities;
•    a clearinghouse;
•    monitoring and review; and
•    finance mechanism.

For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

Delegates conferring prior to the election of IGC Bureau members from GRULAC
IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore
L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS
Campaign materials in the IGC plenary
UN staff members with ballot boxes
IGC Informal Working Group Facilitator Olai Uludong, Palau

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Highlights for Wednesday, 5 September 2018

Delegates from the African Group in consultations

Delegates at the first session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) continued to exchange general statements in a morning plenary. In the afternoon, they convened in an informal working group on capacity building and technology transfer, focusing on:
•    legal nature;
•    objectives;
•    modalities; and
•    institutional aspects.

For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS
Ayodhia Kalake, Indonesia
Antonio Gumende, Mozambique
Juan Sandoval-Mendiolea, Mexico
Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan

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Highlights for Tuesday, 4 September 2018

IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, opened the first session of the IGC

The first session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) opened with general statements, focusing on:
•    key features of the ILBI;
•    priority issues to be addressed in the ILBI; and
•    expectations concerning the process towards developing a zero draft.

For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres
IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore
Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS
Mohamed Omar Gad, Egypt, on behalf of the G-77/China
A view of the room of the IGC plenary from the dais

+ Visit the web coverage for Tuesday, 4 September 2018

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