Abhatoo - Centre Nationale de Documentation

In 2017, following more than a decade of informal discussions, States at the United Nations decided to convene an intergovernmental conference (IGC) to negotiate an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) for the conservation and sustainable use of the biological diversity of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). The negotiations for an ILBI are based on a package of issues agreed in 2011, namely: marine genetic resources (MGRs), including questions on the sharing of benefits; measures such as area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs); environmental impact assessments (EIA); and capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology.
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 72/249 provides for four meetings of the IGC. The final session is scheduled to take place from 23 March to 3 April 2020, at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York. This round of negotiations will be based on the revised draft text (released 27 November 2019).
This paper provides an initial analysis of the draft text, highlighting key areas of progress and contention, as well as identifying some possible options for strengthening the text.