African Group

Highlights for Wednesday, 21 August 2019 Spotted sea slug from the Bahamas. Photo by Marcelo Halpern 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) convened in New York on Wednesday, with delegates meeting in an open informal working group on area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs). They also met in two closed-door “informal-informals,” to discuss certain aspects of environmental impact assessments (EIAs), and marine genetic resources (MGRs). During the informal working group on ABMTs, delegates discussed the identification of areas, including those that may require protection. Highlights of the day include: Informal-informals on EIAs, considering the relationship between the future High Seas agreement and EIA processes under other instruments, and the role of states in decision-making related to EIA activities; Informal-informals on access to MGRs of areas beyond national jurisdiction, including discussions on potentially setting parameters for access to these resources; and Discussions in plenary on the identification of areas requiring protection, including a list of criteria for the establishment or designation of ABMTs, and the basis on which ABMTs are identified, with references to best available science, an ecosystem approach, and traditional knowledge. In the morning, Facilitator Alice Revell (New Zealand) summarized Tuesday’s informal-informal discussion on international cooperation and coordination, and decision making. She highlighted that delegates had discussed ideas related to definitions of ABMTs, including MPAs, reflecting the general understanding that ABMTs are a broader concept that includes MPAs. She highlighted divergent views on the definition of MPAs, including whether to refer to them as tools to achieve long-term biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. In the corridors, strong calls were made to keep an eye on the purpose of the global treaty, with one delegate “highlighting, underlining, and underscoring the need for swift progress,” adding that “millions of species are at risk and that should spur us to better use the time we have here.” 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 For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Informal Working Group Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs, including MPAs IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore L-R: Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel; Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Valentina Germani, UNDOALOS; Stephanie Ierino, UNDOALOS; and Marco Boccia, UNDOALOS Huang Hao, China Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Coumba Gaye, Senegal Desirée Eve Maaño, the Philippines Florian Botto, Monaco Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland Essam Yassin Mohammed, Eritrea Janine Coye-Felson, Belize Memet Yakut, Turkey Evan Bloom, US L-R: Andréanne Goyette and Alain Tellier, Canada, in consultation Teburoro Tito, Kiribati Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Jessica Battle, WWF Alex Macdonald, New Zealand Joseph Appiott, Convention on Biological Diversity Ramon van Barneveld, EU Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Martin Zvachula, Federated States of Micronesia Lionel Yee, Singapore IGC-3 participants from UN agencies, intergovernmental, and non governmental organizations Photo exhibit promoting Turkish Seas Side Event: The Case of Anthropogenic Underwater Noise presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN / General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (FAO/GFCM) and OceanCare Side event participants L-R: Nicola Ferri, FAO/GFCM; Kristina Gjerde, IUCN; Fabienne McLellan, OceanCare; and Nicolas Entrup, OceanCare

Highlights for Friday, 19 July 2019 Informal consultations during the morning session On Friday, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) finalized its deliberations, addressing all pending agenda items, including: the report on matters relating to the Enterprise; issues relating to the election of members of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC), and the LTC Chair report; and the pattern of meetings for the Council and LTC for 2020.Highlights of the day included: a lengthy discussion on a draft decision submitted by the African Group and GRULAC aiming to address equitable geographical representation as well as necessary expertise in the election of LTC members; exchange of opinions on the pros and cons of using remote simultaneous interpretation services for the Assembly and the Council in 2020; agreement on a decision relating to the reports of the LTC Chair, including the intention to ensure the thorough and timely development of necessary standards and regulations; and the general cordial atmosphere among the Council members, despite disagreements, which allows cautious optimism regarding the next steps. Two side events took place at lunchtime: one organized by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), which addressed an environmental impact assessment study performed by JAMSTEC in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone as well as the development of technology to evaluate plume dispersion; and the other hosted by Global Sea Mineral Resources offering an update of its project.For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the breezeways, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from the 2nd Part of ISA-25. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary and analysis from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page A view of the Council from the dais perspective Wini Broadbelt, the Netherlands Pavel Kavina, Czech Republic Ernesto Malda and Anais Vivanco, Mexico Patrik Schotte, Belgium Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Ingo Narberhaus, Germany, in discussions with Wini Broadbelt, the Netherlands Pauline Mcharo, Kenya Luke Tang, Singapore Lee Hyun Seung, Republic of Korea, consulting with Clement Yow Mulalaps, Federated States of Micronesia Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, conferring with Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh Liu Feng and Li Lin Lin, China Luke Roughton, New Zealand, and Gina Guillén Grillo, Costa Rica Mariusz Orion Jędrysek and Andrzej Przybycin, Poland Delegates from Germany and the UK discussing during a break. L-R: Patrik Schotte, Belgium; Nicole Lyas, Australia; and Kenneth Wong, Canada L-R: Petero Okotai, Cook Islands; Alison Swaddling, the Commonwealth Secretariat; and Josh Mitchell, Cook Islands L-R: Alexandre Rodríguez, Spain; Megan Jungwiwattanaporn, The Pew Charitable Trusts; Pippa Howard and Lisa Levin, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) L-R: Ernesto Malda and Anais Vivanco, Mexico, and Wang Rong, Singapore L-R: Sarah Jones, UK; Amber Cobley, ISA Secretariat; Adrian Glover, UK; Malcolm Clark, New Zealand; Samantha Smith, Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR); and Becky Hitchin, UK The Chinese delegation discusses the latest ENB report with Wang Yan (right), ENB Eleanor Petch and Margaret Purdasy, UK Hannah Lily, the Commonwealth, and Josh Mitchell, Cook Islands L-R: John Parianos, Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML); Jennifer Warren, Lockheed Martin Corporation; and Harald Brekke, Norway L-R: Cristóbal Hernández, Gloria Ramos, Francisco Javier Bernales, Manuel José Fernández, and Roberto Álvarez, Chile The delegation from the Netherlands Participants between sessions

Highlights for Wednesday, 17 July 2019 The ISA Council meets in Kingston for its third day On Wednesday morning, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) continued its deliberations on the draft regulations for exploitation of mineral resources in the Area, focusing on the protection and preservation of the marine environment as well as on rights and obligations of the contractors. In the afternoon, the Council heard the reports of the Chairs of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) and the Finance Committee. Highlights of the day included the: impressive array of ideas tabled on the part of the draft exploitation regulations referring to the protection and preservation of the marine environment; tug of war between speed and quality, reflecting the need for timely adoption of the Mining Code and the necessity to ensure that its provisions serve all stakeholders; discussion on cost-saving measures, including remote interpretation services; and appropriate follow-up for contractors that have not complied with recommendations. At lunchtime, a side event was organized by India under the title “Near four decades of India’s role in deep-sea exploration and mining: efforts in the Indian Ocean.” During the afternoon, a side event organized by the Natural History Museum of the UK and the Deep-Sea Biology Society, in collaboration with the ISA Secretariat focused on empowering the next generation of deep-sea researches. For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the breezeways, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from the 2nd Part of ISA-25. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary and analysis from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Pippa Howard, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Gina Guillén Grillo, Costa Rica Robert Milbourne, Mining Standards International Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Ingo Narberhaus and Urs Daniel Engels, Germany L-R: Alden Denny, Greg O’Brien, and Laura Strickler, US Joseph Appiott, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat Esther Salamanca Aguado, Spain Roberto Álvarez and Francisco Javier Bernales Errázuriz, Chile Gou Haibo, China Andrzej Przybycin, Chair of the Finance Committee Young Lee and Lee Hyun Seung, Republic of Korea Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Kathy-Ann Brown, Jamaica Eden Charles, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the ISA for the Enterprise Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Patricio Ureña Palacio, Argentina Gina Guillén Grillo, Costa Rica, discusses with Francisco Javier Bernales Errázuriz, Chile L-R: John Fintakpa Lamega and Franck Kokou Kpayedo, Togo; Tidiani Couma, Monaco; and Didier Ortolland, France Gulardi Nurbintoro, Indonesia, and Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh L-R: Patrik Schotte, Belgium; Kris Van Nijen, Global Sea Mineral Resources; and Steven Vandenborre, Belgium L-R: Carsten Rühlemann, Germany; Gesa Seeger, Die Zeit; and Christian Reichert, Germany Delegates reading the latest ENB before Wednesday’s proceedings L-R: Luke Roughton, Sarah Renouf, and Malcolm Clark, New Zealand; and Nyan Lin Aung, Myanamar Tasha Goldberg, ENB, and Gina Guillén Grillo, Costa Rica The Chinese delegation at the 2nd Part of ISA-25

Highlights for Monday, 15 July 2019 Second Part of ISA-25 opens at ISA Headquarters in Kingston On Monday, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) opened for the second part of the 25th annual session in Kingston, Jamaica. Throughout the day, the Council addressed organizational matters; discussed national legislation with respect to activities in the Area; and heard the report on the implementation of the 2018 Council Decision relating to the summary report of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) Chair. The Council also started its consideration of components of the draft regulations for exploitation of mineral resources in the Area, focusing on the financial model and the outcomes of the relevant Working Group, held prior to the Council’s opening.Highlights of the day include the: election of Erasmo Alonso Lara Cabrera (Mexico) to replace Alonso Francisco Martinez Ruiz (Mexico) on the LTC until 2021; approval of an application for a plan of work for exploration of polymetallic nodules by the Beijing Pioneer Hi-Tech Development Corporation, sponsored by China, in the western Pacific Ocean; announcement of several workshops planned to facilitate the development and review of regional environmental management plans; and discussion on the outcomes of the second meeting of the Working Group’s on the financial model, including options for the payment mechanism and two related submissions by the African Group. Two side events took place during the day: one organized by the Authority on coherent, inter-disciplinary, and adaptive approaches for the development of regional environmental management plans (REMPs) in the Area; and the other organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat on perspectives on liability rules and procedures for harm arising from activities in the Area. For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the breezeways, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from the 2nd Part of ISA-25. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary and analysis from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Lumka Yengeni, South Africa, Council President for the 25th Session Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General (right), and Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General Bernd von Münchow-Pohl and Urs Daniel Engels, Germany Conn Nugent, The Pew Charitable Trusts Guy Sevrin and Patrik Schotte, Belgium Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica Gina Guillén Grillo, Costa Rica, and Félix García, Dominican Republic Duncan Currie, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) Marzia Rovere, Daniele Bosio, and Marcello Iocca, Italy Gavin Watson, United Kingdom (UK) Gou Haibo, China Russell Howorth and Josefa Caniogo, Fiji Clement Yow Mulalap, Federated States of Micronesia Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Francisco Javier Bernales Errázuriz and Roberto Álvarez, Chile Eden Charles, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the ISA for the Enterprise, and Katie Elles, ISA Secretariat Tomasz Abramowski, Interoceanmetal Joint Organization Open-ended Working Group Chair Olav Myklebust and Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, Norway Delegates from the Russian Federation consult before the start of the morning session Juan José González Mijares, Mexico, and Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General Marie Bourrel-McKinnon, ISA Secretariat, and Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Open-ended Working Group Chair Olav Myklebust, Harald Brekke and Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, Norway Delegates during informal discussions Ingo Narberhaus, Germany, and Patrik Schotte, Belgium Nicole Lyas and Emily Johnson, Australia L-R: Cadinia Funganitao, ‘Elisiva ‘Akauola, and ‘Ilaisaane Vea, Tonga The UK delegation shares a laugh at the end of the morning session

Highlights for Thursday, 27 June 2019 On the last day of the Bonn Climate Change Conference, many countries, including those most vulnerable to climate change, remind delegates that 'science is not negotiable.' The last day of the Bonn Climate Change Conference started slow, to allow parties to work through difficult issues, and ended smoothly, as parties adopted the outcomes of the meetings.In a much-awaited decision on the Special Report on 1.5°C of Global Warming (SR1.5), the SBSTA “expressed its appreciation and gratitude to the IPCC and the scientific community for responding to the invitation of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and providing the SR1.5, which reflects the best available science.” The decision reflected a razor-thin compromise between the many parties who wanted to celebrate the scientific achievements of the report and the few who expressed concerns with the report.Groups of developing countries that are vulnerable to climate change defended the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) SR1.5, saying “listening to science not a choice, but a duty.” Wearing t-shirts that exemplify their message, the Environmental Integrity Group, declared “Science is not negotiable.”Parties agreed to several outcomes, including: Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture: New Zealand will host an intersessional workshop on sustainable land and water management, and strategies and modalities to scale up practices and technologies to increase resilience and sustainable production; The terms of reference for the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage associated with climate change impacts was adopted. This sets out the scope of the review of the WIM to take place at the Santiago Climate Change Conference in December 2019. Nairobi Work Programme: The Programme will prioritize thematic areas in its work on adaptation and vulnerability to climate change, namely: extreme weather events, drought, forests and grasslands, oceans, and agriculture and food security. Article 6 (markets and non-market approaches): Countries brought together their work from Katowice to forge a path forward. They agreed to proceed on the basis of texts put together by the Co-Facilitators. As decision looms in Santiago, countries will arrive with an agreed basis for negotiations. The meeting was gavelled to a close at 10:07 pm.The next meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is in December in Santiago, Chile. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2019, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Consultations throughout the Day The room is filled to capacity during the SBSTA Chair's consultations with Heads of Delegations. SBI informal consultations on administrative, financial and institutional matters: Programme budget for the biennium 2020–2021. Co-Facilitators and the Secretariat of the SBI/SBSTA informal consultations on the terms of reference for the 2019 review of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM) share a moment as the session concludes. Family photo of the SBSTA contact group on matters relating to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Delegates huddle informally in the corridors. SBI Closing Plenary SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini, closes the SBI plenary. Abdullah Tawlah, Saudi Arabia Ammar Hijazi, Palestine, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China SBSTA Closing Plenary After a week-long heatwave across Europe, SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France, closes the SBSTA plenary with the same image that he showed at the opening plenary: the Keeling Curve, a graph of the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere. Ana Villalobos, Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) Lois Young, Belize, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Ian Fry, Tuvalu, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Stella Gama, SBSTA Rapporteur SBSTA family photo. Joint Closing Plenary View of the dais during the closing plenary. Ion Cîmpeanu, EU Kunzang, Bhutan, speaking on behalf of the LDCs Majid Shafiepour, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Martine Badibanga Kamunga, Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaking on behalf of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) Sandra Leticia Guzman Luna, Mexico, speaking on behalf of the EIG Mohamed Nasr, Egypt, speaking on behalf of the African Group Gareth Williams, Australia, speaking on behalf of the Umbrella Group Felipe Andres Gutierrez, Climate Justice Now!, and Paula Tassara, Climate Action Network (CAN), speaking on behalf of the Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) Jisun Hwang, Local Government and Municipal Authorities (LGMA), and Juan Carlos Jintiach, Indigenous Peoples Organizations Dolphine Atieno Magero and Tomasz Ferenz, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs) Around the Venue Delegates meet informally in the corridors as they wait for the closing plenary to begin. Delegates read the draft conclusions. Ayman Shasly, Saudi Arabia, speaks with his delegation. Representatives of the EIG wear shirts saying "science is not negotiable." Representatives from AOSIS working on loss and damage, and adaptation. YOUNGOs family photo. SBI Family Photo: Katia Simeonova, SBI Coordinator; SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, Laurence Pollier, UNFCCC Secretariat; and Vanessa Matarazzi, UNFCCC Secretariat Ana Villalobos, Costa Rica, and SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France Katia Simeonova, SBI Coordinator Federica Fricano, Italy, speaks with a delegate. Ulrik Lenaerts, Belgium Vladimir Uskov, Russian Federation Delegates between sessions The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering the Bonn Climate Change Conference: Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, Nepal; Nancy Williams, US; Jen Allan, Canada/UK; Bernard Soubry, Canada; Beate Antonich, Germany; and Kiara Worth, South Africa