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Daily report for 23 August 2019

3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

ENB Daily report

Highlights and images for 22 August 2019

18th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP18)

Highlights for Thursday, 22 August 2019 As the first week of CITES CoP18 draws to a close, giraffe are uplisted to Appendix II after a vote in Committee I. In Committee I, Mongolia introduced the proposal on Saiga antelope to transfer the species from Appendix II to Appendix I. The US clarified the confusion over the taxonomy in the proposal as it originally referred to the IUCN taxonomy, and under Rule 24.2 requested to amend the proposal to make it more precise by including both Saiga tatarica and Saiga borealis. Chair Hay accepted this reading of Rule 24.2 and confirmed the proposal would be considered to cover all saiga.The Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, the EU, and China opposed the proposal if it were to include all populations of saiga, pointing to the growing numbers of the species in some regions and national moratoria on hunting. Bahrain, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, and Qatar supported the proposal. The US reiterated that the co-proponents would oppose a split-listing as this would hinder enforcement. She proposed amending the scope to include an annotation stating: “zero export quota is established for wild specimens traded for commercial purposes,” to ensure wild specimens are not internationally traded, giving the populations a chance to recover and time to study the mass die-offs. South Africa opposed this amendment, suggesting that CITES is not the correct tool for strategies for this species. The Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, the EU, and Uzbekistan and others supported this proposed annotation. Committee I agreed to the proposal by consensus, as amended with a zero-export quota on all saiga species.Chad introduced the proposal to list giraffe under Appendix II, noting the 40% decline in populations over 30 years. New Zealand and the US also supported the proposal. Botswana and several southern African countries, opposed the proposal, arguing that populations are stable in many countries, and countering the claim that international trade is affecting their numbers. He proposed that specific populations should be excluded from the listing. Kenya noted that an Appendix II listing would allow for monitoring measures and would not prevent trade from taking place. The Committee voted to list giraffe under Appendix II, with 106 in favor and 21 against.Zambia introduced the proposal to down-list Zambian elephant populations from Appendix I to Appendix II, recalling that under the Nagoya protocol local communities have the right to benefit from wildlife resources. Committee I voted against Zambia’s proposal. The Committee considered two further proposals concerning elephant populations, both of which did not pass.In Committee II, delegates discussed regulation of trade issues such as simplification procedures, traceability, and specimens produced through biotechnology. At the end of the day, the Secretariat introduced the report on illegal trade in cheetahs, highlighting the work of the intersessional working group to develop the CITES cheetah trade resource kit and called for further funding for this work. She also noted the proposal by the in-session lion working group to establish a big cats task force, noting that matters related to illegal trade in cheetahs could be addressed by such task force. Kuwait, supported by Oman, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain, emphasized that the illegal trade in cheetah in the Gulf states has decreased due to enforcement efforts and public campaigns and he supported the proposal that illegal trade in cheetah could be addressed by the proposed big cats task force. Somalia shared the challenges they encounter in dealing with illegal trade including to UAE and South Africa. South Africa denied that cheetahs are illegally imported into South Africa. Tanzania and Burkina Faso supported the recommendations submitted by Kenya and Ethiopia in CoP18 Information Document 73. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from CITES CoP18. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Committee I: Species-Specific Matters Plenary in Committee I is full as delegates discuss, among others, saiga, giraffe, and elephants. Ezatullah Sediqi, Afghanistan Tsogtsaikhan Purev, Mongolia Salimata Kone, Côte d'Ivoire Damegul Kabiyeva, Kazakhstan Ghanim Abdulla Mohammed, Qatar Juan Francisco García Vasquez, Guatemala Ali Mansoor Abbas Abdullah, Bahrain Rafael Asenjo Fuentealba, Chile Anton Mezhnev, Russian Federation Microphone lights flash red as dozens of delegations ask to take the floor during the discussion on giraffes. Delegates vote on four proposals throughout the day. After voting no to a split listing for Southern African giraffes, delegations vote in favor of uplisting giraffes to Appendix II with an 83% majority. Zambia’s proposal to downlist the Zambian elephant population is rejected by a large majority. Maurus Msuha, Tanzania Ahmed Osman, Somalia Andrew Adejo, Nigeria George Aman, International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) Delegates get their cameras ready as voting results are projected onto the screen. Committee II: Interpretation and Implementation Matters View of the dais during the session. Lise Jubinville, Canada Juan Enrique Iglesias García, Ecuador Elizabeth Bennett, Wildlife Conservation Society Erica Lyman, Lewis and Clark College Hélène Perier, EU Igor Andrade Vidal Barbosa, Brazil Chair Craig Hoover, US David Morgan, CITES Secretariat Juan Carlos Vasquez, CITES Secretariat Phillip Dasilva, Guyana Tae-Kwon Noh, Republic of Korea Ursula Moser, Switzerland Around the Venue Delegates from WWF. Delegates from Mozambique. Delegates from Spain. Delegates from Palau. Delegates from Fauna and Flora International. Elly Hamunyela, Namibia, speaks with Mpho Tjiane, South Africa. Rodrigo Medellin, Mexico, presents a gift to Noel McGough, CITES Nomenclature Specialist, in recognition of his dedication to CITES for 30 years. Delegates speak informally between sessions.
Daily Highlights

Highlights and images for 22 August 2019

3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

Highlights for Thursday, 22 August 2019 Art installation of marine plastic pollution by Greenpeace and the High Seas Alliance The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) met on Thursday, 22 August 2019, in an informal working group on environmental impact assessments (EIAs). Delegates also met in two closed-door “informal-informals” to discuss: marine genetic resources (MGRs), including questions on the sharing of benefits; and area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs). During the informal working group on EIAs, delegates discussed scoping, screening, and impact assessments and evaluation. Highlights of the day include: Informal-informals on MGRs, with discussions focusing on the historically contentious issue of the fair and equitable sharing of benefits; Informal-informals on ABMTs, focusing on the monitoring and review of areas under protection; and Discussions in plenary on scoping, screening, and impact assessment and evaluation related to EIAs, where delegates considered the role of the state and other entities in the conduct of these activities, and whether to include socio-economic and cultural impacts as part of scoping measures. In the morning, Facilitator René Lefeber (the Netherlands) summarized Wednesday’s informal-informal discussions on EIAs, which focused on decision making, and the relationship with EIA processes under other relevant global, regional, and sectoral bodies. On decision making, he noted, inter alia, that divergent positions remain around whether this should take place at the national or international level. On the relationship with EIA processes under other relevant global, regional, and sectoral bodies, Lefeber highlighted that participants considered whether, among other issues, there is potential for developing common standards between the new agreement and relevant bodies, under the discussion on global minimum standards for the conduct of EIAs. In the corridors, some shared that segments of the informal-informals were “getting tense, as delegates continue to provide suggestions based on deeply entrenched positions which are sometimes polar opposites of each other,” without discussing how to bridge these long-standing disagreements. Noting that “these issues will define the course of the entire treaty,” one delegate suggested that the Conference consider designating “a lot more time” to address them.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: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, and René Lefeber, the Netherlands, Facilitator of the informal working group on EIAs View of the informal working group Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Wini Broadbelt, EU Sora Lokita, Indonesia Yordanka Stoimenova, Canada Sonam Yangchen, Bhutan Jean Kenfack, Cameroon Janice Mose Kamakeza, Solomon Islands Rishy Bukoree, Mauritius Veronica Bustamante, Ecuador Maria Pia Benosa, the Philippines L-R: Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, conferring with Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados Huang Yingni, China Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Bangladesh Jihyun Lee, International Seabed Authority Daniel Leal Matta, Guatemala, for the Like-Minded Latin American Countries Cymie Payne, IUCN Lisa Speer, Natural Resources Defense Council John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo Evan Bloom, US Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Kahlil Hassanali, Trinidad and Tobago, for the Caribbean Community Delegates from Kiribati reviewing draft text L-R: Michele Ameri, Fernando Cabrera Díaz, and Amanda Stoltz, UNDOALOS L-R: Aung Thura and Maria Antoinette Trillo, UN conference officers Delegates from the Philippines Delegates from Namibia, Solomon Islands, and Nauru L-R: Fran Humphries, Alexandra Phelan, Fernanda Jiménez, and Hiroko Muraki, International Council of Environmental Law Photos in the corridors
Daily Highlights

Daily report for 22 August 2019

3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

ENB Daily report

Highlights and images for 21 August 2019

18th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP18)

Highlights for Wednesday, 21 August 2019 Delegates from Ghana speak informally at the start of the day. In the morning, Committee I of CITES CoP18 began consideration of listing proposals. The first item discussed was the Mulanje cedar, proposed to be listed in Appendix II, given its critically endangered status. The Committee agreed.A proposal to remove North Indian rosewood from Appendix II was opposed because of the look-alike issues that arise in identifying the species of traded wood products.Canada and the EU introduced a proposal on Rosewoods, Palisanders and Bubingas, with the EU explaining that the proposal maintains an exemption for small finished products, while addressing the implementation challenge associated with differentiating commercial and non-commercial exports, and applies the maximum weight of wood for small finished products to single items rather than to shipments.Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Russian Federation, Tanzania, Republic of Korea, and Indonesia supported the revisions. Several countries expressed concern about the introduction of an exemption for finished products to a maximum weight of 500g per item.Committee I established a drafting group to develop further revisions.The agenda of Committee II was, in the words of Chair Craig Hoover, a “big gray day” as delegates considered agenda items on elephant and rhino.Many expressed confidence in the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) process, though Burkina Faso and Kenya, supported by several African countries and Israel, expressed concern about the independence and transparency of the analysis, calling for an open and transparent peer-review of MIKE’s methodology.Similarly, several transit countries, such as Singapore and UAE, and others questioned the transparency of the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) methodology and categorization process, while China and DRC lamented the report’s neglect of their domestic efforts to combat the illegal trade in ivory.Kenya then presented the document concerning proposed amendments to resolution Conference 10.10 (Rev. CoP17) on the closure of domestic ivory markets, with a view to closing all remaining legal domestic ivory markets.Gabon, Burkina Faso, and other member states of the African Elephant Coalition, with Israel, supported the proposal and emphasized that legal domestic ivory markets drive demand, complicate enforcement efforts and are linked to poaching and the illegal ivory trade. Namibia, eSwatini, and other southern African countries expressed strong opposition, stressing that there was no evidence of a link between legal domestic markets and poaching. They questioned the value of re-opening the issue of domestic markets given the extensive debates and compromise achieved at CoP17. Thailand supported the view that closure of all domestic markets was unnecessary, citing, as an example, its own successful implementation of a National Ivory Action Plan (NIAP).Chile, EU and Japan and several others noted that this proposal falls outside the scope of the Convention and might pave the way for similar restrictive measures to be adopted for the legal domestic markets of other CITES-listed species.The US also opposed the proposed amendments, underscoring that focus should remain on assisting parties in effectively implementing Resolution Conference 10.10 in its current form, but acknowledged the importance of monitoring the impact of these markets.Delegates in Committee II then began a lengthy debate on rhino issues before calling it a day, and moving on to Bureau and working group meetings with their colleagues from Committee I. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from CITES CoP18. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Committee I: Species-Specific Matters View of the plenary from the dais. Ngawang Gyeltshen, Bhutan Mauro Gongora, Belize Duangduen Sripotar, Thailand Manal Bihery, Sudan Naing Zaw Htun, Myanmar Clement Chilima, Malawi Josef Schmuck, Document Center for Species Protection Margarita Clemente, International University of Andalusia (UNIA) Masters Delegates vote on whether to delist North Indian rosewood. The proposal to delist North Indian rosewood fails, as two thirds of parties vote no. David Newton, TRAFFIC Colman O'Criodain, WWF Gopal Prakash Bhattarai, Nepal Cindy Squires, International Wood Product Association Committee II: Interpretation and Implementation Matters Plenary is full as delegates begin discussions on the implementation of elephant-related provisions. Benoit Doamba, Burkina Faso Kailash Chandra, India Sonja Meintjes, South Africa Bill Clark, Israel CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero thanks Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC, for his nearly 40 years of committment to the protection of species. Seyni Abdoul-Aziz, Niger Patrick Omondi, Kenya Pamela Scruggs, US Mick Reilly, eSwatini Tamar Ron, Angola Jorge Rodríguez Romero, EU Cyril Taolo, Botswana Chheang Dany, Cambodia Interpreters during the session. Third Global Meeting of the Wildlife Enforcement Networks Marcia Bernicat, US Department of State, and CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero open the third global meeting of the Wildlife Enforcement Networks. Delegates gather for the first day of the two-day meeting. The meeting included discussions on enhancing guidelines for establishing and strengthening wildlife enforcement networks, and self-assessment tools. CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero Marcia Bernicat, US Department of State Around the Venue Delegates arrive at the meeting. Delegates speak informally between sessions. D.J. Schubert, Animal Welfare Institute, speaks with Mark Simmonds, Humane Society International. Luisa Corbetta and Federico Castrogiovanni, Italy Delegates from the Namibia Nature Foundation. Delegates from Zimbabwe.
Daily Highlights

Highlights and images for 21 August 2019

3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

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
Daily Highlights

Daily report for 21 August 2019

3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

ENB Daily report

Highlights and images for 20 August 2019

18th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP18)

Highlights for Tuesday, 20 August 2019 A rhino statue is awarded to individuals involved in wildlife law enforcement. Committee II did not get their requested disco ball but managed to rock and roll through the items assigned to its agenda. Many parties reaffirmed the importance of demand reduction in combating illegal wildlife trade. With livelihoods and rural communities gaining greater attention within CITES, Committee II accepted the potential focus on livelihoods of indigenous peoples and rural and local communities in a future World Wildlife Day.The Committee also expressed support for youth engagement in CITES, with many parties sharing their own experiences.On guidance for making legal acquisition findings, parties recognized that non-binding guiding principles in the draft resolution would be an important resource for management authorities, while others appreciated that the resolution clearly identifies tasks for importing states.In Committee I, there was talk about the importance of “singing for love," as delegates addressed the plight of songbirds. The US highlighted the declining numbers of songbirds due to multiple threats. She mentioned the illegal trade for singing competitions and gave an example of a recent seizure of songbirds in the US bound for such competitions. Therefore, she said, a further study on the trade and conservation status of songbirds was needed, though many species are not currently CITES-listed. She thus encouraged parties to consider Appendix III listings. Benin, with Senegal and Ukraine, expressed strong support of the songbird document and its proposed workshop. Bird Life International echoed this support, stating that proactive work has been done for other non-CITES listed species in the past which can help inform conservation management. Bird Life International added that action should not be delayed where species status is already known. Chair Rod Hay struck a working group, chaired by the EU, to review and revise draft decisions proposed by the US.On great apes, many highlighted the serious threats facing populations, including from the trade in exotic pets that are advertised openly online. The Committee established a drafting group, chaired by the US, to review reporting obligations on great apes to the Standing Committee and Conference of Parties.Malaysia requested all parties to adopt legislation and controls to eliminate poaching of helmeted hornbill and trade in parts, calling on consumer states especially to monitor markets and take enforcement action as needed. Committee I established a working group to review the proposed amendments.On African cherry, Plants Committee Chair Sinclair stated that specific funding has not been secured for a proposed workshop but that the work could be incorporated into a regional meeting in Africa. The EU, as a main importer of African cherry bark, stated his support of this document and the continued work on data collection for more sustainable management of the species. Committee I agreed to the document with minor amendments.Committee I continued meeting into the evening, where it began to cover species listing proposals based on periodic review. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from CITES CoP18. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Committee I: Species-Specific Matters Discussions continue for species-specific matters. Cecilia Lougheed, Canada Nestor Waliwa, Central African Republic Augustin Ngumbi Amuri, Democratic Republic of the Congo Julie Sherman, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Kenneth Er, Singapore Klamon Haktouin, Chad Volodymyr Domashlinets, Ukraine Ian Redmond, International Primate Protection League Calvin Bernard, Guyana José Alberto Alvarez Lemus, Cuba Charles Barber, World Resources Institute John Bennett, International Association of Violin and Bow Makers Committee II: Interpretation and Implementation Matters Delegates in plenary as the discussions continue. Patience Gandiwa, Zimbabwe Ida Sletsjøe, Norway Layaly Camara, Guinea Obaid Ali Al Shamsi, United Arab Emirates Peter Fredrick Moll, World Leaders of Today Cécile Tang, Youth for Wildlife Conservation Hesiquio Benítez Díaz, Mexico Carlos Mario Orrego Vásquez, Costa Rica Chair Craig Hoover, US Sasikumar Cherukulappurathu, India Ilaria Di Silvestre, Eurogroup for Animals Lisa Bradbury, Switzerland Craig Potter, San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards The Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards are presented to persons who have engaged in one or more exemplary law enforcement actions to protect species of wildlife listed in the Appendices of the Convention. Will Travers, Species Survival Network (SSN) D.J. Schubert, Animal Welfare Institute CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero Recipients of the Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards Around the Venue Melanie Virtue, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) Secretariat, speaks with Karen Baird, Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and Juney Ward, Samoa. Delegates from South Africa. Delegates from the Russian Federation. Delegates between sessions. Delegates from Bangladesh consult informally. CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero speaks with a delegate.
Daily Highlights

Highlights and images for 20 August 2019

3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

Highlights for Tuesday, 20 August 2019 Nurse shark from Mexico. 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 Tuesday, with delegates meeting in an open informal working group, as well as behind closed doors in two “informal-informals.” During the informal working group, they discussed capacity building and the transfer of marine technology (CB&TT), focusing on specific aspects related to the objectives of CB&TT, cooperation, and modalities. Highlights of the day include: Informal-informals on the modalities for CB&TT, including whether it will be voluntary or mandatory in nature; Informal-informals on area-based management tools (ABMTs), including aspects related to decision-making, such as the establishment of ABMTs and their relationship with relevant existing instruments; and Discussions in plenary on the objectives of and cooperation under CB&TT. In the afternoon, IGC President Lee offered a brief summary of the informal-informals held during the morning, focusing on CB&TT modalities. She highlighted, inter alia, that participants had: expressed diverging views in favor of CB&TT being provided on a voluntary or mandatory basis; elaborated on the circumstances under which CB&TT would be voluntary and mandatory, respectively; and exchanged opinions about “what we are trying to achieve here” and whether the new treaty should reflect “what is in UNCLOS” or go beyond the Convention. In the corridors, some delegates found the new format refreshing while others expressed concerns about the new closed-door negotiating modalities, noting that, “Limiting participation at a time where transparency and public engagement have become a central tenet across the global political spectrum does not seem to be a step in the right direction.” 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. Photos in the corridors Informal Working Group IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, convenes the IGC informal working group on CB&TT 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 Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS) Teresa Cruz Sardiñas, Cuba Marc Richir, EU Yolannie Cerrato, Honduras Katie Hamilton, Australia Ali Nasimfar, Iran Amanda Richards, New Zealand Fakasoa Tealei, Tuvalu Elizabeth Kim, US Babajide Alo, Nigeria Fuad Bateh, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Huang Yingni, China Members of the High Seas Alliance in consultation
Daily Highlights