Pacific Small Island Developing States

On Monday, 10 July, the fourth session of the Preparatory Committee on the elements of a draft text of 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 with the plenary addressing administrative matters and hearing general statements. In the afternoon, the informal working group on marine genetic resources (MGRs), facilitated by Janine Coye-Felson (Belize), convened to discuss scope, guiding principles and approaches, access and benefit-sharing. 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 the 4th Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292: Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, giving his opening address to PrepCom4 L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel; Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Alice Revell, New Zealand Jane Chigiyal, Federated States of Micronesia Horacio Sevilla-Borja, Ecuador, on behalf of the G-77/China Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group John Brincat, EU Marlene Moses, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Teodoro Locsin Jr., the Philippines Ma Xinmin, China Ismail Raushan, Maldives, on behalf of Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico Evan Bloom, US, making an intervention Faiyaz Murshid Kazi, Bangladesh Matthías Pálsson, Iceland Michael Googan, Australia Cristóbal Hernández Castillo, Chile Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Rishy Bukoree, Mauritius Alain Tellier, Canada Florian Botto, Monaco Carlos García Reyes, Guatemala Kathryn Garforth, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Louise Kantrow, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Ariel Hernán Troisi, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) -UNESCO Kristina Gjerde, IUCN Stefan Micallef, International Maritime Organization Takehiro Nakamura, UN Environment Peggy Kalas, High Seas Alliance Gustavo Arévalo Castro, Comisión Permanente del Pacifico Sur (CPPS) L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS James Ndirangu Waweru, Kenya Konrad Marciniak, EU Rogelio Villanueva Jr., the Philippines Delegates from the Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru consulting L-R: Ma Xinmin, China, in a conversation with Evan Bloom, US Delegates from the African Group

The eighteenth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-18) opened on 15 May 2017 at the UN Headquarters in New York, under the theme: “The effects of climate change on oceans.” In the morning, delegates heard opening remarks from: Co-Chairs Gustavo Meza-Cuadra and Kornelios Korneliou; Stephen Mathias, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs; Thomas Gass, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), on behalf of Wu Hongbo, UN DESA; Shifaana Thowfeequ, Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), on behalf of Acting Under-Secretary General Heidi Schroderus-Fox; Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly; and Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole (AHWGW) Juliette Babb-Riley and Carolyn Schwalger. In the afternoon, Co-Chair Korneliou introduced the informal session, a discussion panel on “the effects of climate change on oceans, including environmental, social and economic implications.” Delegates heard presentations on: findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report and preparations for the Sixth Assessment; ecosystem services and climate change, including thermal adaptation; climate projections and predictions: challenges and possible solutions; the effects of climate change on the coasts of a highly vulnerable and Megadiverse Country: the case of Colombia; effects of climate change on the oceans (via webcast); and oceanic impacts on regional climate and the Argo Programme. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report in English and French from the 18th Meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page View of the dais Co-Chair Kornelios Korneliou, Cyprus Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly Thomas Gass, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) Shifaana Thowfeequ, UN Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) Stephen Mathias, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Co-Chair Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Peru Juliette Babb-Riley, Co-Chair, Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole (AHWGW) Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Carmen Mifsud, Malta, speaking for the EU Carolyn Schwalger, Co-Chair, AHWGW Diedre Mills, Jamaica Isaías Medina Mejías, Venezuela Andi Eka Sakya, Indonesia Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Luis Oña Garcés, Ecuador, on behalf of the G-77/China Lucía Raffin, Argentina Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Sesselja Sigurðardóttir, Iceland Kate Neilson, New Zealand Luke Daunivalu, Fiji Delegates from Indonesia Presentations View of the panel during the afternoon session Ko Barrett, Vice-Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Françoise Gaill, Committee for Marine and Coastal Research, France Fangli Qiao, Government Secretary General and Deputy Director General, First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, China Philip Sutton, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand Francisco Armando Arias Isaza, Institute of Marine Research, Colombia Elva Escobar Briones, National Autonomous University of Mexico, talked about the effects of climate change on the oceans (via webcast) Around the Venue Sphere Within a Sphere, by Arnaldo Pomodoro Non-Violence, by Fredrik Reuterswärd A view of Long Island City, Queens from the UN Headquarters

On Thursday, 6 April, the plenary of the third session of the Preparatory Committee on the elements of a draft text of an international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (PrepCom 3) met throughout the day. Delegates continued discussions on environmental impact assessments, and then tackled capacity building and technology transfer, and cross-cutting issues, including institutional arrangements, monitoring, review, compliance and dispute settlement. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the 3rd Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292 “Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.” Our summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Cristóbal Hernández Castillo, Chile Maruthadu Sudhakar, India Duncan Currie, Greenpeace International Lydia Slobodian, IUCN Mamadou Diallo, Senegal L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Rena Lee, Singapore, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Leonito Bacalando Jr., Federated States of Micronesia Ismail Raushan Zahir, Maldives, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Marc Richir, EU Siai Taylor, Cook Islands Luke Roughton, New Zealand Dongmei Tang, China Paulo Chiarelli, Brazil Dilli Raj Ghimire, Nepal Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Harriet Harden-Davies, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Aldo Alexandrow, Venezuela Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil Diedre Mills, Jamaica Carlos Garcia, Guatemala Alain Tellier, Canada Randy Bumbury, Guyana Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria Evan Bloom, US, in a conversation with Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil Delegates from the African Group consulting L-R: Angel Horna, Peru; Derek Campbell, US; Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS; and Javier Gorostegui, Chile L-R: Maria Claudia Velez Crismatt, Colombia; Luis Orozco, Colombia; and Gina Guillén-Grillo, Costa Rica L-R: Anca Leroy, France, in conversation with Susan Whelan, the Holy See Delegates from the EU consulting

On Wednesday, 5 April, the plenary of the third session of the Preparatory Committee on the elements of a draft text of an international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (PrepCom 3) convened throughout the day. On area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs), delegates discussed three options: a global model, establishing a global institution to consider and decide on ABMT proposals; a hybrid model, reinforcing regional and sectoral organizations’ mandates through regional coordination mechanisms, and providing global guidance to enhance cooperation and global-level implementation oversight; and a regional and sectoral model, recognizing regional and sectoral bodies’ authority for decision making, monitoring and review of ABMTs with the ILBI providing general policy guidance to promote cooperation, without global-level oversight. On environmental impact assessments (EIAs), delegates discussed: assessing transboundary impacts, strategic environmental assessments, scientific review and consultation, other governance aspects and a clearinghouse mechanism. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the 3rd Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292 “Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.” Our summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs, including MPAs Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Lois Young, Belize Cristóbal Hernández Castillo, Chile Rishy Bukoree, Mauritius Michael Googan, Australia Hina Saeed Baig, Pakistan Zentaro Naganuma, Japan Rolando Castro, Costa Rica Essam Yassin Mohammed, Eritrea L-R: Sophie Mirgaux and John Brincat, EU Djamchid Momtaz, Iran José Luis Fernández Valoni, Argentina Matthías Pálsson, Iceland Kate Neilson, New Zealand Larisa Chernysheva, Russian Federation Coumba Gaye, Senegal Takehiro Nakamura, UN Environment Sora Lokita, Indonesia Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil Duncan Muhumuza Laki, Uganda Lizanne Aching, Trinidad and Tobago Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States Ariel Cayanan, the Philippines Ma Xinmin, China Martin Zvachula, Federated States of Micronesia Wini Broadbelt, EU L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Delegates from the EU consulting Asheline Appleton, IISD RS, confers with Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Evan Bloom, US, in conversation with delegates from Mexico

On Tuesday, 4 April, delegates to the third session of the Preparatory Committee on the elements of a draft text of an international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (PrepCom 3) convened in plenary in the morning and in the afternoon, with the informal working group on cross-cutting issues completing its work in the morning. In the morning, Amb. Peter Thomson (Fiji), UN General Assembly President, encouraged delegates to bring cooperation, flexibility and determination to the BBNJ process and to participate in the upcoming Oceans Conference, stressing the importance of the BBNJ process in oceans stewardship. In the afternoon, plenary further discussed the scope of benefit-sharing from marine genetic resources, as well as access and benefit-sharing modalities. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the 3rd Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292 “Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.” Our summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page President of the UN General Assembly, Amb. Peter Thomson, Fiji President of the UN General Assembly, Amb. Peter Thomson, Fiji Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); President of the UN General Assembly, Amb. Peter Thomson, Fiji; Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Daniela Diz, WWF Peni Suveinakama, Fiji Susan Whelan, Holy See Alain Tellier, Canada Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Driss Meski, Executive Secretary, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Veronika Frank, Greenpeace International on behalf of the High Seas Alliance Evan Bloom, US Rolando Castro, Costa Rica Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico José Luis Fernández Valoni, Argentina Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources Riena Dwi Astuty, Indonesia María Claudia Vélez Crismatt, Colombia Ma Xinmin, China Alice Revell, New Zealand Maruthadu Sudhakar, India Metod Špaček, EU Essam Yassin Mohammed, Eritrea Rishy Bukoree, Mauritius Hiroko Muraki Gottlieb, IUCN Maria Rowena Romana-Eguia, the Philippines L-R: President of the UN General Assembly, Amb. Peter Thomson, Fiji, in conversation with Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil L-R: Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation, in consultation with Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico Delegates from Latin America consulting Amb. Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya to the UN and Special Envoy on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in conversation with delegates from Kenya