European Union

Highlights for Sunday, 25 August 2019 A mako shark makes an intervention as the second week of CITES CoP18 begins. Committee I began the morning under the sea, with the consideration of proposals on mako sharks, guitarfishes, wedgefishes and sea cucumbers.Mexico introduced the proposal to include Shortfin mako sharks and Longfin mako sharks in Appendix II. Co-proponents Gabon, Costa Rica, EU, and others stressed that the current scientific evidence available makes clear the urgent need for regulation, recognizing that existing voluntary sustainable use measures, including those of regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), are ineffective. New Zealand, Antigua and Barbuda, Malaysia, Japan, and others opposed this listing on the basis that global Mako shark populations are more robust than suggested by the proponents, pointing to the conclusions of a recent Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) report. In a secret ballot, Committee I adopted the proposal, with 102 in favor and 40 against.Senegal introduced the proposal to list guitarfishes under Appendix II given declines caused by widespread and largely unmanaged fisheries. Fiji, Nigeria, Comoros, the US, and others supported the proposal, highlighting the need for trade regulation. St. Kitts and Nevis, Japan, and Malaysia opposed it, with Malaysia and China asking for secret ballot voting. In a secret ballot, Committee I voted to adopt the proposal, with 109 in favor and 30 against.Sri Lanka introduced the proposal to list wedgefishes in Appendix II, arguing that an Appendix II listing would raise awareness of the species’ vulnerability and facilitate greater regional cooperation to ensure sustainable use. Egypt, Fiji, Kenya, and other co-proponents argued that an Appendix II listing would have important conservation benefits given the high value of wedgefish fins in international trade. Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan opposed the proposal, pointing to the inconclusive data on the status of global wedgefish stocks, as found by an FAO expert panel report, and the significant implementation challenges implicated by an Appendix II listing. In a secret ballot, Committee I voted to adopt the proposal, with 112 in favor and 30 against.In the afternoon, delegates considered proposals on otters, southern white rhino, and mammoths, among others.Committee II meanwhile discussed pangolins, the African grey parrot, and tortoises and freshwater turtles, among other matters. The Committee considered a proposal for pangolin range States to develop in situ conservation and management programs, and for the Secretariat to develop conversion parameters that will enable reliable determination of the number of animals associated with the quantity of pangolin scales seized. Several Parties highlighted the large seizures of illegally traded pangolin in recent months, and China reported that pangolin scales from its seizures are now available for controlled use in designated hospitals and through registered doctors. Many expressed support for conservation activities in range States, and some also called for increased enforcement and demand-reduction activities.The Plants Committee presented its work on developing a definition of the term ‘artificially propagated’, and Parties in Committee II welcomed the introduction of a new source code ‘Y’ to refer to the assisted production of plants that are neither ‘artificially propagated’ nor ‘wild’, as they are propagated or planted in an environment with some level of human intervention. Georgia noted the new source code would benefit the trade in snowdrop bulbs, which grow in areas where maize and hazelnut are cultivated, supporting rural livelihoods. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from CITES CoP18. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Committee I: Species-Specific Matters Delegates gather in plenary as mako sharks, guitarfishes, and otters, among others, are discussed. Rodrigo Medellin, Mexico Pamela Mace, New Zealand Aurélie Flore Koumba, Gabon Daven Joseph, Antigua and Barbuda Ashley Dias, Seychelles Colin Simpfendorfer, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Rebecca Regnery, Humane Society International Joshua Wycliffe, Fiji Delegates vote on six proposals throughout the day. Delegates vote in favor of uplisting mako sharks to Appendix II following a two-thirds majority. Delegates record the results of the votes as they are displayed on the screen. Adalheidur Thorsteindottir, Iceland Lawrence Kissol, Malaysia Nicho Gowep, Papua New Guinea Kim Friedman, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Committee II: Interpretation and Implementation Matters Delegates gather in Committee II as discussions on interpretation and implementation continue. Dennis Kyabwasi Ikanda, Tanzania Blamah Sando Goll, Liberia Peter Paul van Dijk, Nomenclature Specialist Hank Jenkins, Creative Conservation Solutions Bandar Al-Faleh, Saudi Arabia Lise Jubinville, Canada Laura Noguchi, US He Jingxin, China CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero Duangduen Sripotar, Thailand Sri Ratnaningsih, Indonesia Damian Wrigley, Australia Obaid Ali Al Shamsi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Around the Venue Sofie Flensborg and Karen Gaynor, CITES Secretariat, speak with CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero in the corridors. Joaquín de la Torre Ponce, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and José Funes, environmental lawyer Hesiquio Benítez Díaz, Mexico, speaks with Jorge Rodríguez Romero, EU Peter Fredrick Moll, World Leaders of Today, speaks with Susan Lieberman, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Delegates from eSwatini Tom De Meulenaer and Daniel Kachelriess, CITES Secretariat A delegate visits the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) website to keep track of the negotiations. Delegates between sessions. Delegates from the Pacific region consult in the corridors.

Highlights for Friday, 23 August 2019 Hawksbill sea turtle from the Bahamas, photo by Marcelo Halpern The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) met on Friday, 23 August 2019, in an informal working group on marine genetic resources (MGRs), including benefit-sharing. Delegates also met in two closed-door “informal-informals” to discuss MGRs, and environmental impact assessments (EIAs). Highlights of the day include: Informal-informals on MGRs, with discussions focusing on monitoring the use of MGRs in areas beyond national jurisdiction; Informal-informals on EIAs, focusing on thresholds and criteria, including discussions on the assessment of activities within national jurisdiction that may cause pollution or harm to the marine environment; and Discussions in an open informal working group on MGRs on the objectives and scope related to MGRs, including considerations on whether or not to include fish, digital sequencing information, and derivates in the new High Seas treaty. At the beginning of the session, Janine Coye-Felson (Belize), Facilitator of the informal working group on MGRs, provided an overview of the closed-door discussions related to access to MGRs and benefit-sharing. She highlighted differing views on access, including on, inter alia: its definition, with some preferring not defining access at all; regulation modalities, with delegates favoring, inter alia, free and unimpeded access, subject to prior notification, or subject to a licensing system; and applicability regarding MGRs ex situ and in silico. On benefit-sharing, opinions differed on, among others: the qualifiers of benefit-sharing; activities triggering benefit-sharing; and its voluntary or mandatory nature. In the corridors, one seasoned observer reflected on the need for flexibility: “The thing to keep in mind is that no one is going to be totally pleased with the final outcome.” Delegates left for the day, planning to do lots of homework over the weekend as well as attend a couple of interesting workshops, which could provide information and, crucially, language to bridge the chasms that still exist in the negotiations.For more 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 ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC-3. 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 L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on MGRs; and Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS) L-R: Charlotte Salpin, Bingzhuo Li, and Bart Smit Duijzentkunst, UNDOALOS Barbara Boechat, Brazil, on behalf of the Like-Minded Latin American Countries John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Konrad Marciniak, EU Huang Yingni, China Felizardo Pulumbarit, the Philippines Matthías Pálsson, Iceland Coumba Gaye, Senegal Hiroko Muraki Gottlieb, International Council of Environmental Law Adem Bilgin, Turkey Delegates from the EU in consultation Blaise Kuemlangan, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Salaseini Tagicakibau, Fiji Gabrielle Chin, New Zealand Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Hussain Sinan, Maldives Evan Bloom, US Mardhiah Ridha Farid, Indonesia Duncan Currie, High Seas Alliance Marco D'Alessandro, Switzerland Fuad Bateh, Palestine, on behalf of the G-77/China Ali Nasimfar, Iran Tilani Silva, Sri Lanka Natthakit Singto, Thailand Lionel Yee, Singapore Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on MGRs Delegates from Indonesia reviewing draft text L-R: Paul Susman, European Commission, with Guido Genrich, Germany Delegates from Chile and Mexico discussing provisions on MGRs after the informal working group. Delegates from Senegal and Togo L-R: Panelists from the side event on “Transnational cooperation for addressing BBNJ, empirical lessons of small island developing states” with Joseph Appiott, Convention on Biological Diversity; Carole Claire Durussel, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies; Landisang Kotaro, Palau; Masanori Kobayashi, Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation; and Nicholas Chan, Palau

Highlights for Thursday, 22 August 2019 As the first week of CITES CoP18 draws to a close, giraffe are uplisted to Appendix II after a vote in Committee I. In Committee I, Mongolia introduced the proposal on Saiga antelope to transfer the species from Appendix II to Appendix I. The US clarified the confusion over the taxonomy in the proposal as it originally referred to the IUCN taxonomy, and under Rule 24.2 requested to amend the proposal to make it more precise by including both Saiga tatarica and Saiga borealis. Chair Hay accepted this reading of Rule 24.2 and confirmed the proposal would be considered to cover all saiga.The Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, the EU, and China opposed the proposal if it were to include all populations of saiga, pointing to the growing numbers of the species in some regions and national moratoria on hunting. Bahrain, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, and Qatar supported the proposal. The US reiterated that the co-proponents would oppose a split-listing as this would hinder enforcement. She proposed amending the scope to include an annotation stating: “zero export quota is established for wild specimens traded for commercial purposes,” to ensure wild specimens are not internationally traded, giving the populations a chance to recover and time to study the mass die-offs. South Africa opposed this amendment, suggesting that CITES is not the correct tool for strategies for this species. The Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, the EU, and Uzbekistan and others supported this proposed annotation. Committee I agreed to the proposal by consensus, as amended with a zero-export quota on all saiga species.Chad introduced the proposal to list giraffe under Appendix II, noting the 40% decline in populations over 30 years. New Zealand and the US also supported the proposal. Botswana and several southern African countries, opposed the proposal, arguing that populations are stable in many countries, and countering the claim that international trade is affecting their numbers. He proposed that specific populations should be excluded from the listing. Kenya noted that an Appendix II listing would allow for monitoring measures and would not prevent trade from taking place. The Committee voted to list giraffe under Appendix II, with 106 in favor and 21 against.Zambia introduced the proposal to down-list Zambian elephant populations from Appendix I to Appendix II, recalling that under the Nagoya protocol local communities have the right to benefit from wildlife resources. Committee I voted against Zambia’s proposal. The Committee considered two further proposals concerning elephant populations, both of which did not pass.In Committee II, delegates discussed regulation of trade issues such as simplification procedures, traceability, and specimens produced through biotechnology. At the end of the day, the Secretariat introduced the report on illegal trade in cheetahs, highlighting the work of the intersessional working group to develop the CITES cheetah trade resource kit and called for further funding for this work. She also noted the proposal by the in-session lion working group to establish a big cats task force, noting that matters related to illegal trade in cheetahs could be addressed by such task force. Kuwait, supported by Oman, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain, emphasized that the illegal trade in cheetah in the Gulf states has decreased due to enforcement efforts and public campaigns and he supported the proposal that illegal trade in cheetah could be addressed by the proposed big cats task force. Somalia shared the challenges they encounter in dealing with illegal trade including to UAE and South Africa. South Africa denied that cheetahs are illegally imported into South Africa. Tanzania and Burkina Faso supported the recommendations submitted by Kenya and Ethiopia in CoP18 Information Document 73. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from CITES CoP18. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Committee I: Species-Specific Matters Plenary in Committee I is full as delegates discuss, among others, saiga, giraffe, and elephants. Ezatullah Sediqi, Afghanistan Tsogtsaikhan Purev, Mongolia Salimata Kone, Côte d'Ivoire Damegul Kabiyeva, Kazakhstan Ghanim Abdulla Mohammed, Qatar Juan Francisco García Vasquez, Guatemala Ali Mansoor Abbas Abdullah, Bahrain Rafael Asenjo Fuentealba, Chile Anton Mezhnev, Russian Federation Microphone lights flash red as dozens of delegations ask to take the floor during the discussion on giraffes. Delegates vote on four proposals throughout the day. After voting no to a split listing for Southern African giraffes, delegations vote in favor of uplisting giraffes to Appendix II with an 83% majority. Zambia’s proposal to downlist the Zambian elephant population is rejected by a large majority. Maurus Msuha, Tanzania Ahmed Osman, Somalia Andrew Adejo, Nigeria George Aman, International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) Delegates get their cameras ready as voting results are projected onto the screen. Committee II: Interpretation and Implementation Matters View of the dais during the session. Lise Jubinville, Canada Juan Enrique Iglesias García, Ecuador Elizabeth Bennett, Wildlife Conservation Society Erica Lyman, Lewis and Clark College Hélène Perier, EU Igor Andrade Vidal Barbosa, Brazil Chair Craig Hoover, US David Morgan, CITES Secretariat Juan Carlos Vasquez, CITES Secretariat Phillip Dasilva, Guyana Tae-Kwon Noh, Republic of Korea Ursula Moser, Switzerland Around the Venue Delegates from WWF. Delegates from Mozambique. Delegates from Spain. Delegates from Palau. Delegates from Fauna and Flora International. Elly Hamunyela, Namibia, speaks with Mpho Tjiane, South Africa. Rodrigo Medellin, Mexico, presents a gift to Noel McGough, CITES Nomenclature Specialist, in recognition of his dedication to CITES for 30 years. Delegates speak informally between sessions.

Highlights for Thursday, 22 August 2019 Art installation of marine plastic pollution by Greenpeace and the High Seas Alliance The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) met on Thursday, 22 August 2019, in an informal working group on environmental impact assessments (EIAs). Delegates also met in two closed-door “informal-informals” to discuss: marine genetic resources (MGRs), including questions on the sharing of benefits; and area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs). During the informal working group on EIAs, delegates discussed scoping, screening, and impact assessments and evaluation. Highlights of the day include: Informal-informals on MGRs, with discussions focusing on the historically contentious issue of the fair and equitable sharing of benefits; Informal-informals on ABMTs, focusing on the monitoring and review of areas under protection; and Discussions in plenary on scoping, screening, and impact assessment and evaluation related to EIAs, where delegates considered the role of the state and other entities in the conduct of these activities, and whether to include socio-economic and cultural impacts as part of scoping measures. In the morning, Facilitator René Lefeber (the Netherlands) summarized Wednesday’s informal-informal discussions on EIAs, which focused on decision making, and the relationship with EIA processes under other relevant global, regional, and sectoral bodies. On decision making, he noted, inter alia, that divergent positions remain around whether this should take place at the national or international level. On the relationship with EIA processes under other relevant global, regional, and sectoral bodies, Lefeber highlighted that participants considered whether, among other issues, there is potential for developing common standards between the new agreement and relevant bodies, under the discussion on global minimum standards for the conduct of EIAs. In the corridors, some shared that segments of the informal-informals were “getting tense, as delegates continue to provide suggestions based on deeply entrenched positions which are sometimes polar opposites of each other,” without discussing how to bridge these long-standing disagreements. Noting that “these issues will define the course of the entire treaty,” one delegate suggested that the Conference consider designating “a lot more time” to address them.For more 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 ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC-3. 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 L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, and René Lefeber, the Netherlands, Facilitator of the informal working group on EIAs View of the informal working group Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Wini Broadbelt, EU Sora Lokita, Indonesia Yordanka Stoimenova, Canada Sonam Yangchen, Bhutan Jean Kenfack, Cameroon Janice Mose Kamakeza, Solomon Islands Rishy Bukoree, Mauritius Veronica Bustamante, Ecuador Maria Pia Benosa, the Philippines L-R: Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, conferring with Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados Huang Yingni, China Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Bangladesh Jihyun Lee, International Seabed Authority Daniel Leal Matta, Guatemala, for the Like-Minded Latin American Countries Cymie Payne, IUCN Lisa Speer, Natural Resources Defense Council John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo Evan Bloom, US Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Kahlil Hassanali, Trinidad and Tobago, for the Caribbean Community Delegates from Kiribati reviewing draft text L-R: Michele Ameri, Fernando Cabrera Díaz, and Amanda Stoltz, UNDOALOS L-R: Aung Thura and Maria Antoinette Trillo, UN conference officers Delegates from the Philippines Delegates from Namibia, Solomon Islands, and Nauru L-R: Fran Humphries, Alexandra Phelan, Fernanda Jiménez, and Hiroko Muraki, International Council of Environmental Law Photos in the corridors

Highlights for Wednesday, 21 August 2019 Delegates from Ghana speak informally at the start of the day. In the morning, Committee I of CITES CoP18 began consideration of listing proposals. The first item discussed was the Mulanje cedar, proposed to be listed in Appendix II, given its critically endangered status. The Committee agreed.A proposal to remove North Indian rosewood from Appendix II was opposed because of the look-alike issues that arise in identifying the species of traded wood products.Canada and the EU introduced a proposal on Rosewoods, Palisanders and Bubingas, with the EU explaining that the proposal maintains an exemption for small finished products, while addressing the implementation challenge associated with differentiating commercial and non-commercial exports, and applies the maximum weight of wood for small finished products to single items rather than to shipments.Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Russian Federation, Tanzania, Republic of Korea, and Indonesia supported the revisions. Several countries expressed concern about the introduction of an exemption for finished products to a maximum weight of 500g per item.Committee I established a drafting group to develop further revisions.The agenda of Committee II was, in the words of Chair Craig Hoover, a “big gray day” as delegates considered agenda items on elephant and rhino.Many expressed confidence in the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) process, though Burkina Faso and Kenya, supported by several African countries and Israel, expressed concern about the independence and transparency of the analysis, calling for an open and transparent peer-review of MIKE’s methodology.Similarly, several transit countries, such as Singapore and UAE, and others questioned the transparency of the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) methodology and categorization process, while China and DRC lamented the report’s neglect of their domestic efforts to combat the illegal trade in ivory.Kenya then presented the document concerning proposed amendments to resolution Conference 10.10 (Rev. CoP17) on the closure of domestic ivory markets, with a view to closing all remaining legal domestic ivory markets.Gabon, Burkina Faso, and other member states of the African Elephant Coalition, with Israel, supported the proposal and emphasized that legal domestic ivory markets drive demand, complicate enforcement efforts and are linked to poaching and the illegal ivory trade. Namibia, eSwatini, and other southern African countries expressed strong opposition, stressing that there was no evidence of a link between legal domestic markets and poaching. They questioned the value of re-opening the issue of domestic markets given the extensive debates and compromise achieved at CoP17. Thailand supported the view that closure of all domestic markets was unnecessary, citing, as an example, its own successful implementation of a National Ivory Action Plan (NIAP).Chile, EU and Japan and several others noted that this proposal falls outside the scope of the Convention and might pave the way for similar restrictive measures to be adopted for the legal domestic markets of other CITES-listed species.The US also opposed the proposed amendments, underscoring that focus should remain on assisting parties in effectively implementing Resolution Conference 10.10 in its current form, but acknowledged the importance of monitoring the impact of these markets.Delegates in Committee II then began a lengthy debate on rhino issues before calling it a day, and moving on to Bureau and working group meetings with their colleagues from Committee I. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from CITES CoP18. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Committee I: Species-Specific Matters View of the plenary from the dais. Ngawang Gyeltshen, Bhutan Mauro Gongora, Belize Duangduen Sripotar, Thailand Manal Bihery, Sudan Naing Zaw Htun, Myanmar Clement Chilima, Malawi Josef Schmuck, Document Center for Species Protection Margarita Clemente, International University of Andalusia (UNIA) Masters Delegates vote on whether to delist North Indian rosewood. The proposal to delist North Indian rosewood fails, as two thirds of parties vote no. David Newton, TRAFFIC Colman O'Criodain, WWF Gopal Prakash Bhattarai, Nepal Cindy Squires, International Wood Product Association Committee II: Interpretation and Implementation Matters Plenary is full as delegates begin discussions on the implementation of elephant-related provisions. Benoit Doamba, Burkina Faso Kailash Chandra, India Sonja Meintjes, South Africa Bill Clark, Israel CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero thanks Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC, for his nearly 40 years of committment to the protection of species. Seyni Abdoul-Aziz, Niger Patrick Omondi, Kenya Pamela Scruggs, US Mick Reilly, eSwatini Tamar Ron, Angola Jorge Rodríguez Romero, EU Cyril Taolo, Botswana Chheang Dany, Cambodia Interpreters during the session. Third Global Meeting of the Wildlife Enforcement Networks Marcia Bernicat, US Department of State, and CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero open the third global meeting of the Wildlife Enforcement Networks. Delegates gather for the first day of the two-day meeting. The meeting included discussions on enhancing guidelines for establishing and strengthening wildlife enforcement networks, and self-assessment tools. CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero Marcia Bernicat, US Department of State Around the Venue Delegates arrive at the meeting. Delegates speak informally between sessions. D.J. Schubert, Animal Welfare Institute, speaks with Mark Simmonds, Humane Society International. Luisa Corbetta and Federico Castrogiovanni, Italy Delegates from the Namibia Nature Foundation. Delegates from Zimbabwe.

Highlights for Wednesday, 21 August 2019 Spotted sea slug from the Bahamas. Photo by Marcelo Halpern The third 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) convened in New York on Wednesday, with delegates meeting in an open informal working group on area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs). They also met in two closed-door “informal-informals,” to discuss certain aspects of environmental impact assessments (EIAs), and marine genetic resources (MGRs). During the informal working group on ABMTs, delegates discussed the identification of areas, including those that may require protection. Highlights of the day include: Informal-informals on EIAs, considering the relationship between the future High Seas agreement and EIA processes under other instruments, and the role of states in decision-making related to EIA activities; Informal-informals on access to MGRs of areas beyond national jurisdiction, including discussions on potentially setting parameters for access to these resources; and Discussions in plenary on the identification of areas requiring protection, including a list of criteria for the establishment or designation of ABMTs, and the basis on which ABMTs are identified, with references to best available science, an ecosystem approach, and traditional knowledge. In the morning, Facilitator Alice Revell (New Zealand) summarized Tuesday’s informal-informal discussion on international cooperation and coordination, and decision making. She highlighted that delegates had discussed ideas related to definitions of ABMTs, including MPAs, reflecting the general understanding that ABMTs are a broader concept that includes MPAs. She highlighted divergent views on the definition of MPAs, including whether to refer to them as tools to achieve long-term biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. In the corridors, strong calls were made to keep an eye on the purpose of the global treaty, with one delegate “highlighting, underlining, and underscoring the need for swift progress,” adding that “millions of species are at risk and that should spur us to better use the time we have here.” For more 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 ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from BBNJ IGC-3. 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 Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs, including MPAs IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore L-R: Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel; Alice Revell, New Zealand, Facilitator of the informal working group on ABMTs; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Valentina Germani, UNDOALOS; Stephanie Ierino, UNDOALOS; and Marco Boccia, UNDOALOS Huang Hao, China Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Coumba Gaye, Senegal Desirée Eve Maaño, the Philippines Florian Botto, Monaco Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland Essam Yassin Mohammed, Eritrea Janine Coye-Felson, Belize Memet Yakut, Turkey Evan Bloom, US L-R: Andréanne Goyette and Alain Tellier, Canada, in consultation Teburoro Tito, Kiribati Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Jessica Battle, WWF Alex Macdonald, New Zealand Joseph Appiott, Convention on Biological Diversity Ramon van Barneveld, EU Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Martin Zvachula, Federated States of Micronesia Lionel Yee, Singapore IGC-3 participants from UN agencies, intergovernmental, and non governmental organizations Photo exhibit promoting Turkish Seas Side Event: The Case of Anthropogenic Underwater Noise presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN / General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (FAO/GFCM) and OceanCare Side event participants L-R: Nicola Ferri, FAO/GFCM; Kristina Gjerde, IUCN; Fabienne McLellan, OceanCare; and Nicolas Entrup, OceanCare