Convenor
- High Seas Alliance
Partners
- Blue Nature Alliance
- International Union for Conservation of Nature
- Oceans5
- Sustainable Ocean Alliance
Overview
On 19 June 2023, 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 (BBNJ) adopted the BBNJ Agreement by consensus. The historic adoption followed 19 years of negotiations. Under the Agreement, 60 ratifications are needed for it to enter into force.
In the East Asian Seas region, there are eight (8) countries who already signed the Agreement (People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam), with Singapore and Timor-Leste being among the first countries in the region to become Parties to the Agreement. Under the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), the thrusts of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) align with the principles of the Agreement in promoting ocean governance to ensure the sustainable development of the coastal and marine resources in the region. As nations set their national targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Agreement is essential to ensuring the achievement of the 30×30 ocean targets.
THE AGREEMENT
The Agreement is the first comprehensive treaty on the high seas. It covers marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits; measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas; environmental impact assessments; capacity building and the transfer of marine technology.
OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED IMPACTS
Recognizing PEMSEA’s role as a regional coordinating mechanism in the East Asian Seas region, High Seas Alliance (HSA), along with Oceans5, Blue Nature Alliance, Sustainable Ocean Alliance and IUCN, is co-organizing a two-part side event to engage different levels of stakeholders in a dialogue about the Agreement focusing on the perspective of Asian countries.
PART ONE
From Ratification to Implementation:
Asia High-Level Dialogue on the High Seas Treaty
A side event at the East Asian Seas Congress 2024
07 November 2024 | 10:00 AM to 11:05 AM
1 B Meeting Room, Xiamen International Conference Center Hotel
The high-level side event aims to engage ministers, senior government officials, and the heads of delegation in a 1-hour high-level dialogue that aims to sustain the momentum of support from the national government leaders to sign and ratify the High Seas Treaty. The dialogue aims to revisit the commitments of the countries and explore opportunities to assist the countries in the ratification and preparation for the implementation.
PARTICIPANTS
Two representatives from each country, to be led by the Minister/Deputy Minister, will be invited to participate in the high-level dialogue. The heads of agencies of key regional partners will also be invited to the event. While this is open to the participants of the EAS Congress, only the invited high-level officials, designated by their respective countries, can provide intervention.
RUN OF THE SHOW
*Event moderated by Rizza Sacra-Dejucos, Asia Regional Coordinator of High Seas Alliance
| 10:00 AM | Welcome Messages
Dr. Vann Monyneath East Asian Seas Partnership Council Chair Under-Secretary of State for the Ministry of Environment, Cambodia
Rebecca Hubbard Director, High Seas Alliance |
| 10:05 AM | The High Seas Treaty: A Milestone Unlike Any Other (video presentation) |
| 10:10 AM | Keynote Speech
Her Excellency Rena Lee Ambassador for International Law Republic of Singapore |
| 10:22 AM | Opening intervention for the Signing of the Treaty Champions Declaration
Her Excellency Aishath Inaya Deputy Minister Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Republic of Maldives |
| 10:32 AM | Intervention from the Ministers/Head of Delegation from the East Asian Seas countries and Signing of the Treaty Champions Declaration |
| 10:55 AM | Closing Intervention from the French Government |
| 11:05 AM | Photo Op/End of event |
PART TWO
A deep dive on the High Seas Treaty, Part V: Capacity-building and Transfer of Marine Technology
07 November 2024 | 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
1B Meeting Room, Xiamen International Conference Center Hotel
The technical session is a knowledge-sharing that targets key sectors, institutions, and leaders engaged in marine conservation in the East Asian Seas region to gather more public support on the ratification of the BBNJ Agreement by 2025.
The session is expected to:
- Raise awareness and understanding on the salient points and key principles of the BBNJ Agreement, with focus on Part V: Capacity-building and Transfer of Marine Technology.
- Increase appreciation of the need to swiftly ratify the Treaty, which can lead to growing participation of key sectors/organisation supporting governments of Asian countries in the #RaceForRatification and preparation for implementation.
PARTICIPANTS
The session is open to all participants of the EAS Congress 2024. Approximately 50 participants from different countries and sectors are expected to join the session including the co-convener of the session, moderator/facilitator, and resource persons/experts.
SPEAKERS
The technical session will be moderated by HSA, with a set of speakers and experts from Asia and other regions who will share insights and deep dive into the opportunities and prospects in the region in putting into practice the Part V of the BBNJ Agreement: Capacity-building and Transfer of Marine Technology.
RUN OF THE SHOW
Programme moderated by Moderator: J. Charles Fox, Executive Director, Oceans5
| 5 minutes | Opening and Preliminary
|
| 15 minutes | BBNJ Agreement: An overview and the Status of Ratification in Asia
Rizza Sacra-Dejucos, Asia Regional Coordinator, High Seas Alliance |
| 60 minutes | Deep dive on the Capacity-building and Transfer of Marine Technology: What’s in it for the Asian countries?
The CBTMT Chapter Explained: Priorities and Challenges in Asia Mr. Daniel Kachelriess, Cross-Cutting Coordinator, High Seas Alliance (online) Implementing Part V: CBTMT at National Levels Ms. Sheena Talma, DPhil Fellow, University of Oxford; Talma Consultancy Director, Ocean Voices Fellow (online) Enabling Capacity and Resources of Big Ocean States: A Case of Maldives Ms. Hawwa Nabaaha Nashid, Conservation Officer, Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy of Maldives Strengthening CBTMT through Regional Cooperation Ms. Claud Binondo, Project Development Division Director, ASEAN Center for Biodiversity The Role of Finance Mechanism in implementing CBTMT Mr. Ryan Dolan, Site Engagement Co-lead, Blue Nature Alliance High Seas MPA Accelerator Ms. Rebecca Hubbard, Director, High Seas Alliance |
| 35 minutes | Panel Discussion |
| 5 minutes | Closing of the session |
RSVP: https://bit.ly/easbbnjevent
Contact: rizza@highseasalliance.org
