Presentation of Mariamalia Rodríguez, High Seas Alliance, during the webinar "From the seabed to the high seas: How international negotiations can save the ocean's future".

1. A historic opportunity for our Blue Planet: A Treaty for the
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas
beyond national jurisdiction
Mariamalia Rodríguez
High Seas Alliance
Consultant
June, 2022

2. Overview
1. Areas beyond national
jurisdiction (ABNJ)
2. BBNJ negotiation process
3. Why do we need the BBNJ
Treaty?
4. Summary

3. ABNJ:
High
Seas+
1. Areas beyond national jurisdiction

4. 1. Areas beyond national jurisdiction

5. UNEP
CMS
CBD
Regional
Seas IMO
London
Convention
UNESCO
IOC
World
Heritage
MARPOL
UNCLOS
Part XI
International
Seabed
Authority(ISA)
UNGA Fish Stocks
Agreement
RFMO
FAO
CITE
S
International
Whaling
Commission
Ardon, J. & R. Warner. 2015
EBSAS
PSSA
VME
APEI
*Slide by

6. 2. BBNJ Process

7. ABMTS/MPAs
Area-based
Management Tools
including Marine
Protected Areas
EIAs
Environment
al Impact
Assessments
CBTT
Capacity Building
and the Transfer or
Marine Technology
MGRs
Marine
Genetic
Resources
2. BBNJ Process: Elements of the package

8. 3. Why do we need a
BBNJ Treaty? MPAs
• Less 1% of the high seas is under
protection.
• Standards and a global mechanism to
identify and establish MPAs in ABNJ.
• Framework for adopting conservation
objectives and management plans: tools
for the effective implementation of MPAs.
• Mechanisms for consultation and
collaboration with sectoral/regional
organizations.
• Network of interconnected, ecologically
representative, and effectively managed
marine protected areas.
is only one interconnected globa

9. 3. Why do we need a
BBNJ Treaty? EIAs
• Ensure that the interests of the
international community are
represented through:
• Review of the EIA by the scientific
body established in the Treaty.
• Consideration of cumulative
impacts.
• Authority of the COP to make
decisions on proposed activities.
• Duty of States and other actors to
guarantee the evaluation and
management of human activities

10. 4. Summary
• A global and comprehensive Treaty is necessary to
guarantee the sustainability of biodiversity in almost
half the planet:
• Allow the INTEGRAL consideration of biodiversity
beyond national jurisdiction, to help identify and
mitigate possible negative impacts of human
activities.
• Comprehensively address threats such as
overfishing, pollution, acidification and climate
change.
• Address legal loopholes.
• Improve the performance of existing multilateral
and regional organizations.
• Promoting intersectoral coordination and
cooperation.
• Ensuring greater accountability.
• Does NOT come to replace regional/sectoral

11. Thank you!
¡Muchas
Gracias!