August 2023: BBNJ Informal Dialogue
[04:00 SGT (3 August) / 22:00 CEST (2 August) / 16:00 EDT (2 August)]
The August BBNJ Informal Dialogue invited delegates to focus on: What is next following the adoption of the resolution on the BBNJ Agreement at the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly?
At an individual State level: What do States need to do to prepare for signature and ratification, approval or acceptance? How are States preparing for possible signature and ratification, approval or acceptance? What are the challenges states might be facing? What resources can States draw on to prepare for ratification, approval or acceptance?
Future action by the General Assembly: What action could the General Assembly take at its seventy-eighth session in the context of its new sub item in support of early entry into force and operationalization of the Agreement? What procedural steps could the General Assembly take at its seventy-eighth session?What is the most time sensitive? What is the roadmap going forward?
July 2023: BBNJ Informal Dialogue
[20:00 SGT / 14:00 CEST / 08:00 EDT]
The July session focussed on how to address the volume of work that needs to be done before entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement and the first session of the Conference of the Parties as well as lessons learned from other treaty processes. It will invite experts from other treaty processes (UNFCCC and the Minamata Convention) to share their insight and experiences on how they prepared for ratification and entry into force, followed by questions and dialogue with participants.
May 2023: BBNJ Informal Dialogue
[20:00 SGT / 14:00 CEST / 08:00 EDT]
The May dialogue focussed on: What actions could be taken to prepare for the further resumed fifth session of the BBNJ Intergovernmental Conference on 19 and 20 June 2023; What actions might be required at the level of the General Assembly once the agreement is adopted and it receives the report of the Conference; What would be the functions of the interim secretariat, the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea?; What actions might be required to promote the early entry into force of the agreement?, and What actions might be required to prepare for the entry into force of the agreement and the first session of the Conference of the Parties?
April 2023: Moving toward Adoption & Signature
[20:00 SGT / 14:00 CEST / 08:00 EDT]
The April 2023 session took place after the resumed fifth session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument 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 (IGC 5) when the text of the draft Agreement was finalized. The session offered an opportunity for delegates to share their initial reflections on the required next steps in the treaty process. The informal dialogues welcomed other suggestions of substantive areas that may be constructively discussed in subsequent BBNJ Informal Dialogues.
December 2022
[20:30 SGT / 13:30 CET / 07:30 EST]
The 15 December 2022 dialogue focussed on: The process for adoption and entry into force of the agreement, including lessons learned and best practices. The dialogue will draw on recent experiences from those involved in other processes. How many parties does the BBNJ agreement need to enter into force? After the text is agreed and adopted, what do Member States need to do in the intersessional period to advance the entry into force of the agreement? What do Member States need to do to prepare for the post-adoption period
November 2022
[20:30 SGT / 13:30 CET / 07:30 EST]
The 23 November 2022 dialogue focussed on: How to best capture progress that has been made so far? What do you want to see in the programme of work for the IGC 5+ to put the process in the best possible position to finalize the agreement? How to maximize the work of the informal working groups? What small groups are needed and in what areas? If small groups are needed, how could they be most effective? What efforts can be made by the plenary to resolve contentious issues?
October 2022
[20:00 SGT / 14:00 CEST / 08:00 EDT]
At the request of a significant number of Member States for a debriefing session after the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument 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 (IGC-5), a 2-hour dialogue took place in October 2022.
This session offered an opportunity for delegations to share both their reflections regarding IGC-5 and also their views on required next steps leading to the adoption of the BBNJ agreement at the resumed fifth session of the IGC early next year. Request was made for other suggestions of substantive areas that may be constructively discussed in subsequent informal intersessional dialogues.
July 2022
[20:00 SGT / 14:00 CEST / 08:00 EDT]
The July 2022 dialogues focussed on the Preamble, General Provisions and Final Provisions as well as on Settlement of Disputes and Advisory Opinions. Delegations were invited to exchange views on proposals from IGC 4 and the President’s further revised draft text of an 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 with respect to several key issues.
May 2022
[20:00 SGT / 14:00 CEST / 08:00 EDT]
Following on fourth session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument 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 (IGC-4, the May 2022 dialogues focussed on Marine Genetic Resources; Capacity Building and the Transfer of Marine Technology as well as Financial Resources and Mechanisms, and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) & Strategic Impact Assessments (SEAs). During the dialogue, delegates heard from experts and had an opportunity to share proposals and feedback
December 2021
The December 2021 dialogues focussed on Implementation, Compliance, and Dispute Settlement and the Relationship between the institutional arrangements under the future BBNJ agreement and relevant legal instruments and frameworks and relevant global, regional, subregional and sectoral bodies. The dialogues also focussed on Marine Genetic Resources, including questions on the Sharing of Benefits and Transfer of Marine Technology.
October 2021
The October 2021 dialogues focussed on Implementation, Compliance, and Dispute Settlement; Perspectives on Data Information and Management, and on Marine Genetic Resources, including Sharing of Benefits
September 2021
The September 2021 dialogues focussed on Principles and Approaches and Preamble and Scope of Application. The session included time set aside to exchange views on process, and the intersessional programme of work.
June/July 2021
The June/July 2021 dialogues focussed on Environmental Impact Assessments, with a focus on Strategic Environmental Assessments, picking up on discussion outcomes from previous informal intersessional High Seas Treaty Dialogues on EIAs; Marine Genetic Resources, with a specific focus on Pre and Post Cruise Notification, as well as Capacity Building and Transfer of Marine Technology, picking up on discussion outcomes from previous informal intersessional High Seas Treaty Dialogues on CBTMT.
May 2021
The May 2021 dialogues focussed on Financial Resources and Mechanisms, Area-Based Management Tools—including article 4 on the relationship between the agreement and the Convention and relevant legal instruments and frameworks and relevant global, regional, subregional and sectoral bodies other instruments, and article 6 on international cooperation.
April 2021
The April 2021 dialogues focussed on Implementation and Compliance, Non-Parties, and Settlement of Disputes, Final Provisions, with a focus on Entry into Force, Provisional Application, and Amendment of the Agreement and the Annexes.
March 2021
The March 2021 dialogues focussed on Institutional Arrangements: building on discussion outcomes from Ambassador Lee’s March intersessional Presidential forum, and Decision-Making: COP and subsidiary bodies mentioned in article 48, Scientific and Technical Body, Secretariat and Clearing-House Mechanism, as well as Scope of Application (article 3(2)) and General Principles and Approaches (article 5).
February 2021
The February 2021 dialogue focussed on Capacity Building (CB) and Transfer of Marine Technology (TMT).
December 2020
The December 2020 dialogue focussed on Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs): Picking up on discussions to date including from the July High Seas Treaty Dialogue on ABMTs and the President’s November Programme of Intersessional Work.
November 2020
The November 2020 dialogue focussed on Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs): Picking up on discussions to date including from the June High Seas Treaty Dialogue on MGRs and the President’s October Programme of Intersessional Work on MGRs. This session also addressed Indigenous Knowledge in the context of MGRs.
October 2020
The October 2020 dialogue focussed on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs): Picking up on EIA discussions to date including from the July High Seas Treaty Dialogue on EIAs and the President’s September Programme of Intersessional Work on EIAs, including “Triggering the Conduct of an EIA”, the “Internationalization of the EIA Process” and other EIA related issues.
July 2020
The July 2020 dialogue focussed on Area-Based Management Tools and Environmental Impact Assessments.
June 2020
The June 2020 dialogue focussed on Marine Genetic Resources, Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer.
April 2020
In April 2020, BBNJ delegations met for the first preparatory informal online High Seas Treaty Dialogue to exchange ideas and identify preferred choice of treaty provisions to be discussed in the substantive video meetings to be followed in June and July.
3-5 March 2020 – Monaco
The dialogues hosted in-person in collaboration with the Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco, the dialogue focused on Area-Based Management Tools, such as Marine Protected Areas, and Environmental Impact Assessments. The high-level segment in Monaco was facilitated by the 68th U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, currently serving as the first United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
20-21 January 2020 – Oslo
The dialogues hosted in-person in collaboration with the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, the 2-day dialogue focussed on Marine Genetic Resources.