Building Strong Institutions for the High Seas
Part 1: Unpacking Processes for Early Implementation and Operationalization of the BBNJ Agreement
The adoption of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), also known as the High Seas Treaty, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on 19 June 2023 has paved way for the countries to have legal framework in place for the protection of the high seas and its vibrant marine ecosystem. After almost two decades of negotiations and one year since the Agreement was opened for signature, 106 nations have signed and 15 State Parties have ratified.
On 24 April 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution 78/2721 to establish a preparatory commission, acknowledging the urgent need to prepare for the early entry into force of the Agreement and to convene the Conference of Parties no later than one year after it has entered into force. Led by two Co-Chairs from developed and developing countries and a 15-membership Bureau of the commission, the first organisational meeting was held from 26 to 28 June 2024 to agree on PrepCom meetings and recommend priority issues, which will form the basis of the Programme of Work. Two PrepCom meetings were set for 2025 and three clusters of issues were agreed by the governments2. Delegates also emphasized the need for countries to have sufficient time and resources to prepare for the PrepCom to facilitate a more efficient discussion in the upcoming substantive sessions.
The High Seas Alliance, which played a key role in the past Inter Governmental Conferences and the First Organisational Meeting, will explore providing support and assistance to Asian countries for the upcoming PrepCom through the BBNJ Symposium.
The first part of the session will attempt to complement the two-day panel discussions of the symposium by unpacking which additional issues may be deemed necessary to ensure the early implementation and operationalisation of the Agreement which may not yet be included in the cluster of issues identified and agreed during the First Organisational Meeting of the PrepCom. These include but are not limited to any additional guidance with regards to ABMT proposals, considerations on the operationalization of the provisions on MGRs including their fair & equitable benefit sharing, and of the needs assessments in the CBTMT section, as well as work under other IFBs to prepare them for coordination and cooperation with BBNJ.
Participants: open to the public
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[1] General Assembly resolution 78/272: "Agreement 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" adopted on 24 April 2024 (A/RES/78/272)
[2] Statement of the Co-Chair of the Preparatory Commission for the Entry into Force of the Agreement 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 and the Convening of the First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement at the closing of the organizational meeting (A/AC.296/2024/4)
Preliminaries and Opening
Ms. Rebecca Hubbard
Director, High Seas Alliance
● 8:40 AM to 8:45 AM
Introduction of the panelists
● 8:45 AM to 9:00 AM
Additional guidance on developing proposals for area-based management tools
Ms. Minna Epps (online) (tentative)
Director of Global Ocean Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature
● 9:00 AM to 9:15 AM
Getting relevant instruments, frameworks, and bodies BBNJ-ready
Ms. Nichola Clark
Senior Officer for Ocean Governance, The Pew Charitable Trusts
● 9:15 AM to 9:30 AM
Early operationalization of the Clearing House Mechanism
Ms. Lowri Mai Griffiths
Head of the Ocean Policy Unit, Legal Directorate, Government of the United Kingdom
● 9:30 AM to 9:45 AM
Considerations on harmonized operationalisation of the Chapter on Marine Genetic Resources
Mr. Daniel Kachelriess
Cross-cutting Issues Coordinator, High Seas Alliance
● 9:45 AM to 10:30 AM
Open forum
Moderator: Rizza Sacra-Dejucos, Asia Regional Coordinator, High Seas Alliance
A Part 1 of a satellite event at the BBNJ Symposium 2025
20 February 2025 | 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Cypress Room, Orchard Hotel, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore
The adoption of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), also known as the High Seas Treaty, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on 19 June 2023 has paved way for the countries to have legal framework in place for the protection of the high seas and its vibrant marine ecosystem. After almost two decades of negotiations and one year since the Agreement was opened for signature, 106 nations have signed and 15 State Parties have ratified.
On 24 April 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution 78/2721 to establish a preparatory commission, acknowledging the urgent need to prepare for the early entry into force of the Agreement and to convene the Conference of Parties no later than one year after it has entered into force. Led by two Co-Chairs from developed and developing countries and a 15-membership Bureau of the commission, the first organisational meeting was held from 26 to 28 June 2024 to agree on PrepCom meetings and recommend priority issues, which will form the basis of the Programme of Work. Two PrepCom meetings were set for 2025 and three clusters of issues were agreed by the governments2. Delegates also emphasized the need for countries to have sufficient time and resources to prepare for the PrepCom to facilitate a more efficient discussion in the upcoming substantive sessions.
The High Seas Alliance, which played a key role in the past Inter Governmental Conferences and the First Organisational Meeting, will explore providing support and assistance to Asian countries for the upcoming PrepCom through the BBNJ Symposium.
The first part of the session will attempt to complement the two-day panel discussions of the symposium by unpacking which additional issues may be deemed necessary to ensure the early implementation and operationalisation of the Agreement which may not yet be included in the cluster of issues identified and agreed during the First Organisational Meeting of the PrepCom. These include but are not limited to any additional guidance with regards to ABMT proposals, considerations on the operationalization of the provisions on MGRs including their fair & equitable benefit sharing, and of the needs assessments in the CBTMT section, as well as work under other IFBs to prepare them for coordination and cooperation with BBNJ.
Participants: open to the public
----------------------------------------------
[1] General Assembly resolution 78/272: "Agreement 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" adopted on 24 April 2024 (A/RES/78/272)
[2] Statement of the Co-Chair of the Preparatory Commission for the Entry into Force of the Agreement 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 and the Convening of the First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement at the closing of the organizational meeting (A/AC.296/2024/4)
Agenda
● 8:30 AM-8:40 AMPreliminaries and Opening
Ms. Rebecca Hubbard
Director, High Seas Alliance
● 8:40 AM to 8:45 AM
Introduction of the panelists
● 8:45 AM to 9:00 AM
Additional guidance on developing proposals for area-based management tools
Ms. Minna Epps (online) (tentative)
Director of Global Ocean Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature
● 9:00 AM to 9:15 AM
Getting relevant instruments, frameworks, and bodies BBNJ-ready
Ms. Nichola Clark
Senior Officer for Ocean Governance, The Pew Charitable Trusts
● 9:15 AM to 9:30 AM
Early operationalization of the Clearing House Mechanism
Ms. Lowri Mai Griffiths
Head of the Ocean Policy Unit, Legal Directorate, Government of the United Kingdom
● 9:30 AM to 9:45 AM
Considerations on harmonized operationalisation of the Chapter on Marine Genetic Resources
Mr. Daniel Kachelriess
Cross-cutting Issues Coordinator, High Seas Alliance
● 9:45 AM to 10:30 AM
Open forum
Moderator: Rizza Sacra-Dejucos, Asia Regional Coordinator, High Seas Alliance