UNITED NATIONS, CMC – Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries are maintaining their position of wanting more inclusive and participatory governance structures for ocean management under the new instrument, as negotiation resumed at the United Nations on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The negotiations had been halted over the past two years due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the global community is seeking an international legally binding instrument under the UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).

The Fourth Intergovernmental Conference (IGC4) on BBNJ is due to end on March 18 and a statement by the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat noted that the proposed BBNJ instrument brings into sharp focus the need for a comprehensive and effective global framework to manage the rich and vulnerable biodiversity of the deep sea in an inclusive and equitable manner. 

“Now more than ever there is heightened urgency to conclude the instrument this year in light of growing pressures posed by existing and emerging activities and human-induced impacts including fishing, mining, marine pollution, bio-prospecting, climate change and ocean acidification; and the recognition that collective action is need to protect the global commons.  The health of the ocean and with-it planetary sustainability are at stake.”

The statement noted that Caribbean countries supported by the CARICOM Secretariat, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism  (CRFM) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) have been actively participating in the negotiations since the inception of the work to develop a robust, effective and future-proofed legal instrument.

It said Caricom wants the negotiated instrument to reflect regional priorities particularly for more inclusive and participatory governance structures for ocean management under the new instrument as well as a fair and equitable access and benefit sharing regime for marine genetic resources as well as information and derivatives thereof.

In addition, Caricom is seeking rigorous international consultative decision making processes for addressing environmental impact assessments, enabling strategic environmental assessments and establishing area based management tools for conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity and an effective results oriented capacity building and transfer of marine technology framework that will enable Caricom member states participation in and implementation of the instrument provision of financial support to support regional countries.

The regional countries are also seeking a robust monitoring and review and compliance mechanism.

The Caricom Secretariat said that prior to the convening of IGC4, the Caricom Grouping with the support of Pew Charitable Trust and the High Seas Alliance convened the Fourth Caricom Preparatory Workshop last week that served to strengthen Caricom positions drawing on regional expertise and further informed by stakeholder priorities.

 “The Caricom team will continue to meet throughout the two weeks to engage with regional experts and stakeholders to keep all abreast on progress with the different negotiating tracks and related regional priorities,” the statement added.