The UNEP Regional Seas Programme, under UNEP’s coordination, includes 18 regions with 146 countries participating in 18 Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans. Among them, 14 Regional Seas programmes were established under the auspices of UNEP.
Seven of these programmes are directly administered by UNEP. Among the 18 regions, the following four regions include areas beyond national jurisdiction in their geographic coverage of their respective legal instruments: North East Atlantic, Pacific Southern Ocean and Mediterranean.
Under the following three regional seas conventions, parties and member countries started studying the issues related to biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction:
- Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Western Indian Ocean;
- Abidjan Convention for Cooperation in the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Atlantic Coast of the West, Central and Southern Africa Region; and
- Comisión Permanente del Pacifico Sur (CPPS) cover the South East Pacific.
The Partnership for Regional Ocean Governance (UNEP, Institute of Advanced Sustainability Study and Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations) is supporting these regions on their respective discussion.
This session will discuss the current activities of the regional seas programmes, within their mandates, on the marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Agenda:
- 13.15-13.25 Welcome remarks, H.E. Mr. Eden Charles (Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations)
- 13.25-13.35 Introduction to UNEP Regional Seas Programme and related initiatives, Takehiro Nakamura (UNEP)
- 13.35-13.40 Partnership for Regional Ocean Governance and its support for the regional seas programmes in relation to ABNJ Sebastian Unger (IASS)
- 13.40-13.50 Abidjan Convention for West, Central and Southern Africa and ABNJ Abou Bamba (Abidjan Convention Secretariat)
- 13.50-14.00 Southeast Pacific – CPPS initiative under the Galapagos Commitments Fernando Felix (CPPS)
- 14.00-14.20 Panel discussion on the role of regional seas programmes and possible regional approach in the International Legally Binding Instrument
Moderator:
Victor Andres Escobar Paredes, Spain
Panel members:
Clark Peteru – SPREP
John Clorley, Chair of the Biodiversity Committee of OSPAR (UK), OSPAR MPA and inter-sectoral cooperation
- 14.20-14.45 Interaction with audience
