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After years of scientific debates, legal controversies and political wrangling, States have concluded an agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). This treaty establishes a mechanism for creating area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs) in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). This mechanism was missing until now and will facilitate the implementation of the 30x30 target adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2023 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
One of the challenges in implementing and enforcing high seas MPAs is ensuring effective monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) of human activities, a key condition to avoid creating "paper parks”. To this end, emerging technologies (e.g. satellite-based technologies, unmanned vehicles, artificial intelligence) offer increasingly cost-effective and accessible methods for conducting MCS activities on the high seas.
However, under what conditions can these tools be effective? What enforcement and compliance mechanisms as well as technical and political measures need to accompany them? How can they be made accessible to developing countries?
This side event will explore these crucial issues, with contributions from technical, legal, and policy experts.
