Second Session of the Intergovernmental Conference on BBNJ

The intergovernmental conference elaborates a legally binding instrument under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. The negotiations shall address the 4 topics identified in 2011 that governments have agreed to address in the treaty:

1. Marine genetic resources, including questions on the sharing of benefits
2. Measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas
3. Environmental impact assessments
4. Capacity-building and transfer of marine technology
plus:
5. Crosscutting issues, including institutional arrangements, trust fund etc.