Countries agree to new treaty on marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction

Countries have agreed to recommend to the UN General Assembly elements to be considered in the development of a new treaty on marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The agreement came after two weeks of discussions. The Preparatory Committee, which was chaired by Carlos Sobral Duarte (Brazil), was tasked with advising the General Assembly on the elements of a draft text of an international legally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The Preparatory Committee also recommended that the General Assembly take a decision, as soon as possible, on the convening of an intergovernmental conference to consider the recommendations on the elements and elaborate the text of a treaty. Delegations agreed that the elements were non-exclusive and without prejudice to the position of States during the negotiations. Countries could not reach consensus on all the elements for the prospective treaty. The General Assembly is to decide at its next session on the convening and starting date of an intergovernmental conference to elaborate on a treaty.

Many countries have called for this conference to start work early in 2018.

“This is indeed a momentous moment for the Ocean and for the high seas and the rich biodiversity therein,” said Peter Thomson, President of the General Assembly.

“This is one more solid step by the international community, and by the UN towards ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean and its resources.”

The preparatory negotiations, sometimes informally referred to as “BBNJ” (biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction), took place at UN Headquarters in New York from July 10-21 and included governments, global and regional intergovernmental organisations, and civil society.

There is growing pressure for a comprehensive global regime to better address the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction as the world has recognised the opportunities that sustainable oceanbased economies provide while also expressing concern about the increasing deterioration of the ocean, and the resulting negative impacts on sustainable development.

Pollution, the destruction of marine habitats, over fishing, and the impacts of climate change are among the major drivers of the ocean’s decline.