Environmental impact assessments in the BBNJ treaty and the implications for management of the marine Arctic

Sammendrag

My slides can be sent on request. The content of the presentations and the announcement of the event: Can the High Seas Treaty Cure Arctic Governance? 1. Lawson W. Brigham: “Arctic Ocean Governance: Adding Complexity with the High Seas Treaty”. 2. Vito De Lucia: “Area Based Management Tools (ABMTs) /Marine Protected Areas in the Arctic”. 3. Gunnar Sander: “Environmental impact assessments in the BBNJ treaty and the implications for management of the marine Arctic”. 4. Mario Acquarone: “Scientific advice: the science-policy interface”. 5. Christian Prip: “The BBNJ Agreement: Interrelations with other international frameworks and bodies on ocean governance”. The new global treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (known as the BBNJ treaty or the High Seas treaty) has been formally adopted in June 2023, and was opened for signature on 20 September 2023. Already within the first 48 hours over 80 countries had signed the treaty. While signature needs to be confirmed with ratification, this treaty signals enthusiasm for a multilateral success that stands in stark contrast to the current complex geopolitical juncture. As the text of the treaty is now finalized, it is possible to assess its implications for the governance of the Central Arctic Ocean (CAO). The treaty in fact contains important provisions providing a global legal basis for the adoption of marine protected areas (MPAs), including in the CAO, detailed rules on environmental impact assessments, and may (re)shape on potentially important ways the governance framework of the CAO, the relationship with other relevant instruments and bodies, both global and sectoral, and the conservation and management of arctic marine ecosystem