Highlights and images for 3 April 2019

Negotiations
Conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction – BBNJ
2nd Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ)

Summary

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

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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