First day of the Organizational Meeting of the Preparatory Commission of the BBNJ Agreement | CBCGDF Ocean&Wetlands Working Group Reports at UN Headquarters | June 24, 2024

The organizational meeting of the Preparatory Commission to prepare for the entry into force of the 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 (“BBNJ Agreement”) is held on June 24, 2024 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Ocean&Wetlands Working Group of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) has sent delegation to participate in the meeting on-site. 







In the Speech on the Opening Ceremony, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs expressed that he was very happy that everyone could gather here again for BBNJ agreement. He was also happy to announce that our work has made slow but solid progress: 91 countries have signed the BBNJ agreement.



After the conference agenda was passed, the general speeches began. Representatives congratulated Ms. Janine Felson on her election as co-chair of the committee and delivered speeches. The Brazilian representative said that Brazil will officially sign the BBNJ agreement in September this year, and is currently in the full preparation stage. He also said that the preparatory meeting was very important. He hoped that all institutions would discuss each topic equally, such as capacity building.

 

The representative of Thailand explained that a legal side meeting of the BBNJ Agreement would be held in Bangkok to supplement the framework and instruments corresponding to the BBNJ Agreement and fill the gap in ocean governance. The representative of Chile emphasized that Chile had signed the agreement in February 2024 and reiterated the importance of establishing marine protected areas in the high seas.

 

The representative of Turkey emphasized that the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement should encourage extensive participation by countries and clarify the scope of access and sharing of various documents.

 

The representative of IUCN praised the existing 91 signatories and 7 ratification countries, and hoped that the Preparatory Committee would strengthen cooperation among countries and regional organizations; support research and conduct pilot projects; consider the needs of financial mechanisms and capacity building, draw strategic experience, and carry out training activities, such as the theme of marine DNA; establishe a fair and transparent mechanism to ensure that all stakeholders are involved; and hope to issue an implementation guide to support all countries to ratify the BBNJ Agreement.

 

The representative of UNEP said: "We have a lot of experience in multilateral cooperation and rich experience in biodiversity, rescue of endangered species, and animal trade. These are all closely related to the BBNJ Agreement. We are willing to contribute all the experience of UNEP, and will work with United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),etc to support the approval and implementation of BBNJ agreements."

 

In the past few years, CBCGDF has continued to participate in BBNJ negotiations and has participated in relevant meetings such as the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference and the 2024 Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4).

 

Translator: Sara

Checked by Daisy

Editor: Sara 

Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776





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