European Union

Highlights for Friday, 29 March 2019 Delegates from Bangladesh reviewing the President's aid to negotiations Discussions at the second session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) continued in an informal working group setting. Delegates finalized their consideration of area-based management tools (ABMTs), and commenced their discussions on environmental impact assessments (EIAs).Under EIAs, they considered the process for these assessments, commenting on procedures related to: screening and scoping; impact prediction and evaluation; public notification and consultation; and decision-making. During the lunch break, side-events were held on: conservation, climate change, and ocean biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, presented by Papua New Guinea; and planning and enforcement of the high seas area-based management tools, presented by The Nature Conservancy and the Oxford Martin School Sustainable Oceans Programme.In the corridors, one seasoned delegate, heading out for the weekend after a dense afternoon plenary, seemed cautiously optimistic: “The level of detail in the different options can be seen as tedious, but once we ride the option-storm, we will hopefully be able to see the big picture, and start negotiating on our different positions.”For extensive 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 Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC 2. 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 on Area-Based Management Tools Plenary view of the session with Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on area-based management tools, on screen Siai Taylor, Cook Islands Channelle Fitzgerald, Australia James Ndirangu Waweru, Kenya John Brincat, EU L-R: Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on area-based management tools; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Velentina Germani, UNDOALOS; and Marco Boccia, UNDOALOS Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico Martin Zvachula, Federated States of Micronesia Sylvain Kalsakau, Vanuatu Hwang Junshik, Republic of Korea Fred Sarufa, Papua New Guinea Florian Botto, Monaco Takahiro Nakamura, UN Environment Programme Fredrik Haag, International Maritime Organization Kenneth Wong, Singapore Fakasoa Tealie, Tuvalu Gou Haibo, China Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Informal Working Group on Environment Impact Assessments IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, with René Lefeber, the Netherlands, Facilitator of the informal working group on environmental impact assessments Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS Kahlil Hassanali, Trinidad and Tobago, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM ) Wini Broadbelt, EU Janice Mose, Solomon Islands, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Carlos Mata, Uruguay Regina Paula Eugenio, the Philippines L-R: Roderick Harte and Paul Susman, European Commission L-R: Konrad Marciniak and Piotr Czepulonis, Poland Delegates from China

Highlights for Thursday, 28 March 2019 Delegates from Iceland consulting Delegates attending the second 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) throughout the day.They considered the following elements related to the process of identifying areas requiring ABMTs: •    the proposals related to the designation of marine protected areas and other tools; •    the content of ABMTs; •    decision-making; and •    the new instrument’s relationship to measures under other relevant instruments, frameworks and bodies.During the lunch break, three side-events were held on: effective institutional arrangements via the new treaty, presented by Norway; “Mare Geneticum and an Ecosystem Approach: Power, Openness and Sharing,” presented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); and developments and experiences under various processes and lessons for the new instrument, presented by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.In the corridors, some delegates felt strongly that marine protected areas had been prioritized over other area-based management measures. “As far as I can remember, in all the years of discussions that have built up to this document, we have not really considered other ABMTs in detail,” sighed one observer, noting that the NGO community had circulated suggestions in this regard in the past.For extensive 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 Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC 2. 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 on Area-Based Management Tools Plenary view of the informal working group on area-based management tools from the perspective of the dais Alex Macdonald, New Zealand Huang Yingni, China Matthías Pálsson, Iceland Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway L-R: Velentina Germani, Stephanie Ierino, and Marco Boccia, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS) Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland Dhisadee Chamlongrasdr, Thailand Landisang Kotaro, Palau Victor Masson Fiallos, Ecuador Jamila Malafa, Nigeria L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, consulting with Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on area-based management tools, with Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Evan Bloom, US Norlito Eneran, the Philippines Susan Whelan, Holy See L-R: John Brincat and Sophie Mirgaux, EU Kristina Gjerde, International Council on Environmental Law Melanie Virtue, Convention on Migratory Species Ghazali Ohorella, International Indian Treaty Council Gustavo Arévalo Castro, Comisión Permanente del Pacifico Sur (CPPS) L-R: Fredrik Haag, International Maritime Organization, in conversation with Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, International Seabed Authority L-R: Siva Thambisetty, Office of the Pacific Oceans Commissioner, with John Brincat, EU L-R: Khurshed Alam and Tanvir Ahmad Torphder, Bangladesh L-R: Florian Botto, Monaco; Anca Leroy, EU; Laetitia Highman, Monaco; and Tidiani Couma, Monaco

Highlights for Wednesday, 27 March 2019 L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, with Kristina Gjerde, International Council on Environmental Law (ICEL); and Pete Girguis, ICEL/Harvard University, US Delegates attending the second session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) met on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 in an informal working group to finalize their initial consideration of marine genetic resources (MGRs) and initiate discussions on area-based management tools (ABMTs).Under ABMTs, they discussed elements related to the process of identifying areas requiring management.During the lunch break, three side-events were held on: •    “Exploring options for fostering conservation and sustainable use of the ocean through access and benefit sharing of marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction: engagement of multi-stakeholders, including the private sector, for informed decision making,” presented by France; •    “Facilitating Capacity Development, Transfer of Marine Technology and Ocean Science in BBNJ,” presented by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and •    “So far, yet so close: Ecological connectivity between ABNJ and territorial waters,” presented by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).In the corridors, some developing countries felt slighted by calls to ignore the intent of marine scientific research. “A small bucket of seawater can yield millions of benefits, monetary and otherwise,” claimed one, noting that technological developments need broad coverage if the ILBI is to succeed in promoting the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from MGRs in ABNJ.For extensive 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 Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC 2. 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 on Marine Genetic Resources L-R: Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources, and Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS) Marie-May Muzungaile, Seychelles Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland Rishy Bukoree, Mauritius Cristóbal Hernández Castillo, Chile L-R: IGC-2 dais on the informal working group on marine genetic resources with Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS; Bingzhuo Li, UNDOALOS; and Bart Smit Duijzentkunst, UNDOALOS Saravanane Narayanan, India Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Phi Mai Lien Vu, Viet Nam Hiroko Muraki Gottlieb, ICEL Duncan Currie, High Seas Alliance Muriel Rabone, Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative L-R: Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS; Bingzhuo Li, UNDOALOS; and Bart Smit Duijzentkunst, UNDOALOS Leonito Bacalando Jr., Federated States of Micronesia Salaseini Tagicakibau, Fiji Lionel Yee, Singapore Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Peyami Kalyoncu, Turkey Evan Bloom, US Tumelo Selolwane, Botswana Giridhar Kowtal, Australia Plenary view of the informal working group on marine genetic resources Informal Working Group on Area-Based Management Tools Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on area-based management tools IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore Jean Kenfack, Cameroon Fuad Bateh, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Florian Botto, Monaco Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Sophie Mirgaux, EU Desirée Eve Maaño, the Philippines Martín Mainero, Argentina Alain Tellier, Canada Evan Bloom, US, with Gou Haibo, China Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS, in conversation with Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh Delegates from Germany

Highlights for Tuesday, 26 March 2019 L-R: Yedla Umasankar, India, in conversation with Susan Whelan, Holy See Delegates attending the second session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) convened for a second day on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. They met in an informal working group to consider issues related to marine genetic resources (MGRs), discussing: •    objectives, principles and approaches; •    types of benefits to be shared, specifically whether these would be monetary and/or non-monetary; •    benefit-sharing modalities, including if benefits would be shared on a voluntary or other basis, and by whom; •    the need for, and role of, a clearinghouse mechanism; •    intellectual property rights (IPRs); •    monitoring the utilization of MGRs; •    access to MGRs; and scope •    and scope.During the lunch break, two side-events were held: “Twenty-five years of International Seabed Authority (ISA’s) contribution to applying holistic approach to the protection of the marine environment in the Area,” presented by ISA, and “BBNJ Capacity Development in the Context of Climate Change,” presented by International Coastal and Ocean Organization.In the corridors, some delegations voiced their frustrations on the correct forum to discuss IPRs related to benefit-sharing, pointing to the number of fora charged with addressing these rights, but the lack of tangible progress on the issue over the years.For extensive 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 Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC 2. 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 on Marine Genetic Resources View of the IGC-2 plenary session on the Informal Working Group on Marine Genetic Resources IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources L-R: Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Lionel Yee, Singapore Gabrielle Chin, New Zealand Teresa Cruz Sardiñas, Cuba Margo Deiye, Nauru, with Evan Bloom, US Gillian Shirley Malielegaoi, Samoa Khadeeja Ali, Maldives Essam Yassin Mohammed, Eritrea Carolina Caceres, Canada Susan Whelan, Holy See Justin Whyatt, Australia Fred Sarufa, Papua New Guinea Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Arnavaz Ghobadi Langroudi, Iran Matthías Pálsson, Iceland Harriet Harden-Davies, Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative Marcel Jaspars, International Union for Conservation of Nature Konrad Marciniak, EU Anca Leroy, EU L-R: Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga; Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh; Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway; Myeong-rae Park, Republic of Korea; Lowri Griffiths, UK; Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, International Seabed Authority; Yoshihisa Shirayama, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology; and Jihyun Lee, International Seabed Authority Delegates from the Philippines L-R: Daniela Diz Pinto, WWF International; Duncan Currie, High Seas Alliance; and Barry Weeber, New Zealand

Highlights for Monday, 25 March 2019 IGC-2 participants observing a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the recent tragedies in Ethiopia and Indonesia and the passing of Amb. Virachai Plasai, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the UN The second 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 on Monday, March 25, 2019. Delegates first engaged in a general exchange of views, broadly related to the key features of an ILBI, including their priorities based on issues to be discussed as contained in the President’s Aid to Negotiations. They then began their deliberations on the President’s Aid, focusing their attention on benefit-sharing in relation to marine genetic resources. During the lunch break, two side-events were held: “Towards an Effective High Seas Treaty: Building on and Strengthening Regional Ocean Governance” presented by Germany and the STRONG High Seas Project; and "No fish left behind: fisheries under BBNJ” presented by the Nippon Foundation. In the corridors, many participants agreed that the President’s Aid to Negotiations is inclusive and helpful in driving the negotiations forward. Some expressed concern about gaps in the options laid out in the document, stressing that these will need to be covered during the following two weeks, if future treaty text is to be comprehensive.For extensive 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 Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC 2. 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. View of the opening plenary IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS) Fuad Bateh, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Delegates from the EU consulting Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Sira Swangsilpa, Thailand Andreas Papaconstantinou, EU Arnavaz Ghobadi Langroudi, Iran, on screen Mohamed Atlassi, Morocco María Juliana Tenorio, Colombia Franck Kokou Kpayedo, Togo Gou Haibo, China Shanti Utami Retnaningsih, Indonesia Generoso Calonge, the Philippines Duncan Currie, High Seas Alliance Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, International Seabed Authority Hiroko Muraki Gottlieb, International Council of Environmental Law Ariel Hernán Troisi, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) Lydia Slobodian, International Union for Conservation of Nature Takehiro Nakamura, UN Environment Programme Informal Working Group on Marine Genetic Resources L-R: Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Barbara Boechat, Brazil Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland Evan Bloom, US Salaseini Tagicakibau, Fiji