Views & Analysis

AMBITION AND URGENCY NEEDED AS High Seas Treaty NEGOTIATIONS NEAR END

With only one week to go in the negotiations for a new Treaty to protect two thirds of the ocean – the High Seas – civil society is raising alarm about the level of urgency and ambition towards a robust outcome for the ocean.   A number of States have made public commitments to secure … Continued

22 August 2022

IGC5 Week 2 Update: Travis Aten & Nicola Clark discuss week 2 of the negotiations

As the second week of IGC5 begins, Travis Aten, Programme Officer for the High Seas Alliance, and Nichola Clark, Officer at The Pew Charitable Trusts, give an update on negotiations and discuss Area-Based Management Tools.  

IGC5 Day 6 Update: Claire Christian on EIA

Claire Christian, Executive Director of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) talks about how the BBNJ negotiations can learn from the Antarctic’s cautionary approach to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).    

IGC5 Day 5 Update: Kristina Gjerde

Kristina Gjerde, Senior High Seas Advisor to the IUCN, talks about why it’s so important that IGC5 concludes with an ambitious high seas treaty, and discusses some of the key issues during week 1 of the negotiations.

19 August 2022

IGC5: Day 4 Update: Fabienne McLellan

Fabienne McLellan, Managing Director of Ocean Care, gives an update on day 4 of IGC5.

18 August 2022

IGC5 Day 3 Update: Travis Aten

Travis Aten, Programme Officer for the High Seas Alliances gives an update three days into IGC5.

17 August 2022

Concluding High Seas Alliance Analysis, IGC3

UN delegates arrived at IGC3 prepared and ready to make progress and engage in text-based negotiations for the first time. The two weeks were allocated across an initial Plenary, Informal Working Groups on each of the key elements (including cross-cutting issues for the first time) and Informal Informals, with sessions running late on several occasions … Continued

30 August 2019

Not enough ambition, not enough urgency

By Greenpeace International – The Global Ocean Treaty under negotiation provides a unique opportunity to turn the tide for our ocean by enabling the creation of a global network of fully protected ocean sanctuaries the world so urgently needs. The UN Biodiversity Report made it clear that we are in the middle of a climate … Continued

Reflections on Week 2 of IGC3

Liz Karan, urges delegates to remember why the IGC High Seas treaty negotiations are so important and asks them to commit to making transformational change to protect marine biodiversity on the High Seas.   Lauren Kubiak, a senior policy analyst in the Oceans division at the NRDC, shares her insights into the negotiations at the … Continued

29 August 2019

Javier Bardem at IGC3, 19th August

UNTV link to Statement from Javier Bardem, 19th August

22 August 2019

High Seas Alliance Reflection on IGC3 Day 3

The morning session was devoted to a Working Group on ABMTs, Articles 16-18.  Facilitators are focussing on articles that require significant attention or having the most outstanding issues. The session today concluded with a full read of Article 16. Today’s afternoon sessions took place in informal informals format on EIAs (Articles 23 and 38) and … Continued

21 August 2019

High Seas Alliance Reflection on IGC3 Day 2

IGC3 is the first time in this process that delegates have engaged in text-based negotiations, and negotiators are going through the draft text, article by article, seeking agreement and compromise.  Although the actual process of doing so can be slow, this is a time of great activity in the margins with numerous bilaterals being held, … Continued

20 August 2019

High Seas Alliance Reflection on IGC3 Day 1

Sofia Tsenikli, Senior strategist for Greenpeace gives us an update on the opening statements delivered by Member States during the first day of negotiations. Countries welcomed draft text from the President.

Javier Bardem, Greenpeace Ambassador

Javier Bardem is on board. Are you? Greenpeace side event during IGC3. UNTV link to Statement from Javier Bardem, 19th August

High Seas Alliance intervention, Opening Statement

Peggy Kalas, Coordinator for the High Seas Alliance delivers opening statement  Thank you Madame President, I am honored to speak on behalf of the High Seas Alliance and its 40 member organizations, many of whom are represented here today, and collectively represent millions of people around the world concerned with the future of the high … Continued

DOALOS Summary of Day 1 IGC3

Delegates Begin Text-Based Deliberations for First-Ever Treaty on Managing Marine Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction Areas, at Start of Conference Session.

19 August 2019

New Phase Begins in Landmark UN Treaty Negotiations

UN treaty negotiations to conserve and protect nearly two thirds of the ocean re-convene today (19 August 2019), in what is widely regarded as the greatest opportunity in a generation to turn the tide on ocean degradation and biodiversity loss. Following over a decade of discussions at the UN, this two-week session of the Intergovernmental … Continued

Closing Remarks – May the Albatross guide us into IGC3

On the closing day of negotiations towards a high seas treaty, the EU called for transparency in the ongoing process, specifically stating that civil society should remain involved regardless of changes in the format of the meeting. This was echoed by the Pacific Island Forum which includes New Zealand and Australia. Numerous states, keenly aware … Continued

5 April 2019

HSA reflection on cross-cutting issues

Yesterday we dealt with cross cutting issues which are applicable to the entire agreement such as dispute resolution, structure and function of the clearing-house mechanism, definitions and principles. The HSA intervened empathising the need for effective accessible implementation mechanisms which focus on making the Agreement more effective as well as proposing text for workable definitions … Continued

HSA Reflection on IGC3 Day 8 – CBTT and Cross-Cutting Issues

The morning was taken up with a frustrating lack of ambition by some larger states around capacity building and tech transfer – CBTT. Developing states consistently stressed the importance of this, showing that much more work has to be done. In the afternoon we saw an exciting coalescence of support for a decision-making body and … Continued

3 April 2019