Pacific Small Island Developing States

Highlights for Wednesday, 3 April 2019 Delegates from the Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru in conversation with the US Delegates at the second session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) finalized discussions on capacity building and the transfer of marine technology (CB&TT) and began discussions on cross-cutting issues. Under the latter, they considered institutional arrangements, outlining positions on: •    the decision-making body/forum; •    scientific and/or technical bodies; •    other subsidiary bodies; and •    a secretariat.During the lunch break, delegates attended side-events on: strengthening stewardship of the Sargasso Sea, presented by Canada and the Sargasso Sea Commission; BBNJ negotiations, intellectual property issues, and ongoing work at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), presented by WIPO; and the application of area-based management tools under the Regional Seas Programmes, presented by the UN Environment Programme.What comes first, form or function? This is the persistent question that plagues the BBNJ process, and it reared its head again on Wednesday during discussions on funding for CB&TT and institutional arrangements. One delegate strenuously asserted that function (deciding on institutional arrangements, including whether they operate on a global or regional level) follows form (deciding on what the institutions will do). 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 Capacity Building and Transfer of Marine Technology L-R: Olai Uludong, Palau, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); and Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS Amavaz Ghobadi Largroudi, Iran Chen Xin Yao, China Lorraine Faure, Seychelles Ramona Sladic, Canada Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States Estrella Tulay, the Philippines Sunan Rustam, Indonesia Natthakit Singto, Thailand Photos depicting ocean and coastal habitats Sylvain Kalsakau, Vanuatu Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh René Figueredo Corrales, Paraguay Parinda Ranasinghe, Sri Lanka Leonito Bacalando Jr., Federated States of Micronesia John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo James Ndirangu Waweru, Kenya Carl Grainger, EU Informal Working Group on Cross-Cutting Issues Plenary session on the informal working group on cross-cutting issues Diedre Mills, Jamaica Fuad Bateh, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of Pacific Small Island Developing States (P-SIDS) Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore Michael Lodge, Secretary-General, International Seabed Authority L-R: Diedre Mills and Stephanie Forte, Jamaica L-R: Norhasalinda Mohd Salleh, Brunei; Jiraporn Wattanasophorn, Thailand; and Dhisadee Chamlongrasdr, Thailand Delegates from New Zealand

Highlights for Tuesday, 2 April 2019 Participants from Fiji and the International Seabed Authority Delegates at the second session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) finalized discussions on environmental impact assessments (EIAs) in an informal working group, and opened discussions on capacity building and the transfer of marine technology (CB&TT), facilitated by Olai Uludong, Palau. Under CB&TT, they considered the types and modalities, including a clearinghouse mechanism; and issues related to funding, including the funding mechanism and whether funding would be mandatory of voluntary.During the lunch break, delegates attended side-events on: • implementation of indigenous and traditional knowledge in the high seas treaty, presented by South Africa; • twenty-five years of ISA’s contribution to deep-sea marine scientific research and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), presented by the International Seabed Authority and Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO; and • cooperation between regional seas programmes and regional fisheries bodies, presented by the UN Environment Programme and Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO).In the corridors, it was difficult to ignore the fact that positions were still poles apart, with the usual lines drawn between a cohort preferring only voluntary funding options, and those on the receiving end, holding out for a mix of voluntary and mandatory financing. When some called for aspects of the funding discussion to be brought up under cross-cutting issues, others resolved that, clearly, “the real negotiations are going to come down to the wire,” with three days left and counting.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 Environmental Impact Assessments Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS) René Lefeber, the Netherlands, Facilitator of the informal working group on environmental impact assessments Cymie Payne, International Union for Conservation of Nature Lisa Speer, High Seas Alliance Jessica Battle, World Wide Fund for Nature Dorota Lost-Sieminska, International Maritime Organization Kent Bressie, International Cable Protection Committee Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan L-R: Susan Whelan and Tomasz Grysa, Holy See Duncan Currie, High Seas Alliance Jean Kenfack, Cameroon Amavaz Ghobadi Largroudi, Iran Nivaashni Devi Dharmalingam, Malaysia Darius Campbell, North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission Kahlil Hassanali, Trinidad and Tobago, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM ) Janice Mose, Solomon Islands, on behalf of Pacific Small Island Developing States (P-SIDS) Kukhyun Ahn, Republic of Korea L-R: Indira Guardia and Teresa Cruz Sardiñas, Cuba Informal Working Group on Capacity Building and Transfer of Marine Technology L-R: Olai Uludong, Palau, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology; IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore; and Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Fuad Bateh, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Marc Richir, EU Fakasoa Tealei, Tuvalu, on behalf of P-SIDS L-R: Alice Hicuburundi, Jessica Howley, Lika Doehl Diouf, Vita Onwuasoanya, UNDOALOS Arianne Etuk, Bahamas Yolannie Cerrato, Honduras Ariel Cayanan, the Philippines John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo L-R: Olai Uludong, Palau, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology; Landisang Kotaro, Palau; and Joan Yang, Nauru Delegates from CARICOM Delegates from Nigeria Crocheted mascots, distributed by the High Seas Alliance

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