Summary
Highlights for Monday, 19 August 2019
The third 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) began in New York on Monday. For this meeting, delegates have, as a basis for their negotiations, a draft text of an agreement containing treaty language, prepared by IGC President Rena Lee (Singapore) and the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea.In opening statements, both IGC President Rena Lee and Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel Miguel de Serpa Soares pointed to the recent Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), noting that BBNJ can be a part of “turning the tide” on global biodiversity loss.As delegates exchanged general views and began an in-depth consideration of the draft text, the highlights of the first day include, inter alia:
In their general statements, several supported the common heritage of humankind as an overarching principle governing marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Many also highlighted the importance of capacity building and the transfer of marine technology to operationalize the future instrument.In the corridors, delegates and participants exchanged ideas on the potential trade-off between the timely conclusion of the IGC considerations and the quality of the new treaty. While some cautioned against “self-imposed” deadlines, others underscored the urgency of the issues under discussion, stressing that “time matters.” Most agreed, however, that informal deliberations throughout the session will allow for fine-tuning the text and hopefully bridging existing divergent opinions.For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC-3. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon
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Informal Working Group on Cross-cutting Issues
Side Event presented by Greenpeace and High Seas Alliance: A Strong Global Ocean Treaty, Javier Bardem is onboard, are you?
