UN launches draft of New, Legally Binding UN Law of the Sea Regulations

The UN launched the Draft of New, Legally Binding U.N. Law of the Sea Regulations. WOC has been part of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) process from the time it ensured that the ocean business community is present and interested in developing the most crucial new legal regime for the ocean since the establishment of the U.N. Law of the Sea.

Specifically, the BBNJ will create new, international high seas regulation, on:

1. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs)
2. Area-based management tools including marine protected areas (MPAs)
3. Capacity-building and transfer of marine technology
4. Marine genetic resources (MGRs) including benefit sharing

Moreover, WOC aims to develop the BBNJ Business Coalition, which will advance:

1. Among the sectors of the diverse ocean business community;
2. Between the private sector and other stakeholders.

The Coalition aims to develop the industry’s coordination to make sure that the BBNJ will be practical, implementable and engender constructive ocean business community engagement in the conservation and sustainable use of marine life in international waters.

The negotiations shall address the topics identified in the package agreed in 2011, namely, the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, in particular, together and as a whole, marine genetic resources, including questions on the sharing of benefits, measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, environmental impact 2/50 assessments and capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology.

The WOC is working to ensure that the global Ocean Business Community:

1. Is communicating and collaborating amongst the diverse ocean business sectors
2. Is developing the synergies and strengths of a collective Ocean Business Community
3. Is informed of BBNJ developments and physically present at the negotiations and side events
4. Is aware of gaps, solutions and opportunities in the BBNJ process
5. Can readily provide input to BBNJ documents, including the draft treaty text
6. Participates in WOC’s BBNJ seminars, webinars and Sustainable Ocean Summit sessions
7. Communicates with, and engages, governments, the UN and other stakeholders

For more information click on the PDF herebelow