Caribbean Community

Highlights for Thursday, 29 August 2019 Parrotfish from Mexico, photo by Marcelo Halpern The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) met throughout the day and into the evening in an informal working group setting to address environmental impact assessments (EIAs), and cross-cutting issues. Delegates also met briefly in an “informal-informal” to consider marine genetic resources, including questions on benefit-sharing.Thursday saw the end of the informal-informals, and comprehensive, prolonged discussions on the remaining issues in the draft text of a future international legally binding instrument.Highlights of the day included, inter alia: Discussions in the informal working group on cross-cutting issues, notably related to institutional arrangements, and dispute-settlement; and Discussions in the informal working group on EIAs, touching on the content of EIA reports, their publication, and consideration and review. In the corridors, one weary delegate wondered “why didn’t we put in more hours during the first week when everyone was still fresh and in good spirits,” referring to the final push to try to complete all the work related to the draft text. Looking ahead, Friday promises an important discussion on the way forward, with some delegates confiding “we are not sure we can see the light at the end of this tunnel to a High Seas agreement just yet.”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 René Lefeber, the Netherlands, Facilitator of the informal working group on EIAs L-R: René Lefeber, the Netherlands, Facilitator of the informal working group on EIAs; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); and Michele Ameri, UNDOALOS Hala Khalil, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Wini Broadbelt, EU Ayodhia Kalake, Indonesia Maria Pia Benosa, the Philippines Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Therese Simpson Johansen, Norway Alain De Comarmond, Seychelles Elizabeth Kim, US Cyrill Martin, Switzerland Janice Mose, Solomon Islands, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (P-SIDS) L-R: Justin Whyatt, Australia, with Heath Synnott, Australia L-R: Yocasta Valenzuela, Dominican Republic, in consultation with Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria Duncan Currie, High Seas Alliance Yordanka Stoimenova, Canada Lionel Yee, Singapore Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Kahlil Hassanali, Trinidad and Tobago, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Carlos Mata, Uruguay, on behalf of the Like-Minded Latin American Countries Huang Yingni, China Sira Swangsilpa, Thailand Heath Synnott, Australia Kukhyun Ahn, Republic of Korea Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland Roderick Harte, EU L-R: Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel; IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, and Facilitator of the informal working group on cross-cutting issues; and Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS Tom Diederen, EU Luke Roughton, New Zealand Diedre Mills, Jamaica, on behalf of CARICOM Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of P-SIDS Alejandro Celorio, Mexico, on behalf of the Like-Minded Latin American Countries Matthías Pálsson, Iceland L-R: Alice de Juvigny and Kent Bressie, International Cable Protection Committee L-R: Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki and Alice Vadrot, University of Vienna Delegates from the Maldives in conversation with delegates from Australia L-R: Florian Botto, Monaco, with Leonito Bacalando Jr., Federated States of Micronesia

Highlights for Wednesday, 28 August 2019 Box spotted puffer fish from the Philippines, photo by Marcelo Halpern The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) met in two informal working groups on marine genetic resources (MGRs), including benefit-sharing, and on cross-cutting issues. Delegates also met in “informal-informals” to consider aspects related to both area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs), and environmental impact assessments (EIAs). Delegates dove into choppy waters on Wednesday, opening discussions on some of the key underlying, or overarching, issues that have proved intractable in the past. They shared views on the terms to be included in the new agreement, specifically those related to MGRs, as well as on the most relevant principles on which the future agreement will be anchored. Highlights of the day included, inter alia: Discussions in the informal working group on cross-cutting issues, specifically related to principles and approaches, international cooperation, and implementation and compliance; Discussions in the informal working group on MGRs, touching on the need to align with definitions in relevant frameworks and bodies to maintain legal certainty; Informal-informal discussions on ABMTs, addressing who should be consulted on a proposal for an ABMT, and how these proposals will be assessed; and Informal-informals on EIAs, focusing on strategic environmental assessments, and a list of activities that do or do not require an EIA.  In the corridors, one observer lamented, “it seems like we are stuck in a loop: when we are looking at the substance, decisions are deferred for lack of a definition, and then once we get to the definitions, we are told to wait until we decide on substance.” Others were hopeful that as discussions enter the final stretch, delegates can finally begin to consider the central tenets of the future High Seas instrument, and that those discussions “will help us see the forest for the trees.”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 L-R: Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on MGRs; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Barbara Boechat, Brazil, on behalf of the Like-Minded Latin American Countries Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on MGRs Gou Haibo, China Fuad Bateh, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Salaseini Tagicakibau, Fiji, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (P-SIDS) Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Ayodhia Kalake, Indonesia Susan Whelan, Holy See Babajide Alo, Nigeria Neha Lugo, US L-R: Kahlil Hassanali, Trinidad and Tobago, with Fuad Bateh, Palestine L-R: Gou Haibo, China, with Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Yuko Hara, Japan Alain De Comarmond, Seychelles Drusila Esther Bayate, the Philippines Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Kenneth Wong, Singapore Gabrielle Chin, New Zealand Vasco Becker-Weinberg, Portugal Katie Hamilton, Australia Adem Bilgin, Turkey John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo Hendrik Segers, Belgium Kukhyun Ahn, Republic of Korea L-R: Ronan Long, Ireland, in conversation with Muhammad Taufan, Indonesia L-R: Felizardo Pulumbarit, the Philippines, in consultation with Drusila Esther Bayate, the Philippines L-R: Teresa Cruz Sardiñas, Cuba, with Maribel Alvárez, Costa Rica Matthías Pálsson, Iceland, with delegates from the Republic of Korea Bird's eye view of the informal working group on cross-cutting issues Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, and Facilitator of the informal working group on cross-cutting issues Thembile Joyini, South Africa Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of P-SIDS Diedre Mills, Jamaica, on behalf of CARICOM Maria Juliana Tenorio, Colombia, on behalf of the Like-Minded Latin American Countries

Highlights for Tuesday, 27 August 2019 Long-legged spider crab from Cuba, photo by Marcelo Halpern The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) met in an informal working group on area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs). Delegates also met in three “informal-informals” to continue discussing aspects related to environmental impact assessments (EIAs), marine genetic resources (MGRs), including questions on the sharing of benefits, and cross-cutting issues. In their discussions, delegates broached what some have characterized as “sticky” issues. Highlights of the day included: Informal-informals on EIAs, which focused on cumulative and transboundary impacts; Informal-informals on MGRs, especially addressing intellectual property rights within the new High Seas agreement;  Informal-informals on cross-cutting issues, specifically related to financial resources; and Discussions in the informal working group on ABMTs, including MPAs, related to the proponent and content of ABMT proposals. In the corridors, some were concerned that “we have forgotten why we are here,” noting the need for the new High Seas agreement to conserve marine biodiversity and, in many cases, give it a chance to regenerate. “Look up from the text,” urged one delegate, emphasizing that the existing governance regime is “fragmented and not fit for purpose,” and rallying delegates to adopt a strong High Seas treaty to address the current gaps.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 Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS) Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM ) Alain Tellier, Canada Teresa Cruz Sardiñas, Cuba Ramon van Barneveld, EU Ana Villalobos, Costa Rica Saravanane Narayanane, India Sarah Weiss Ma'udi, Israel Hussain Sinan, Maldives Delegates from New Zealand in consultation Jean Kenfack, Cameroon Huang Yingni, China Matthías Pálsson, Iceland Alex Macdonald, New Zealand Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Kristina Gjerde, IUCN Florian Botto, Monaco Desirée Eve Maaño, the Philippines Takehiro Nakamura, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Aysecan Crabtree, Turkey Milinda Gunetilleke, Sri Lanka Sira Swangsilpa, Thailand Willington Rentería, Ecuador Ryan Keightley, Australia L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore; Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs, including MPAs; and Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS L-R: Generoso Calonge, the Philippines, conferrring with Desirée Eve Maaño, the Philippines L-R: Matthías Pálsson, Iceland, in conversation with Susan Whelan, Holy See Participants from the Strong High Seas Project