BlueRemediomics partners from the University of Aberdeen and ABS International/3BIO co-organised a workshop on Article 12 of the Agreement and served as Rapporteurs during the BBNJ Symposium in Singapore on 18–19 February 2025. The Symposium Report is now available.
The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) is key to protecting the ocean, promoting equity and fairness, tackling environmental degradation, fighting climate change and preventing biodiversity loss in the high seas. The BBNJ Symposium Report provides useful insight on key take-away messages from the six panel discussions that dived into the BBNJ Agreement’s ratification, implementation and extensive implications for ocean management, focusing on insights from the Asia-Pacific region. At the Symposium, Thomas Vanagt from ABS International (ABSint/3BIO) took part in the final panel on the Clearing House Mechanism (CHM), which, among other discussions, presented the key features to be prioritised in the development of the CHM.
Co-organised with Fran Humphries from Griffith University, it focused on the notification usage of Marine Genetic Resources (MGR) and the creation of practical scenarios. It brought together 30 participants from various fields, including industry, academia, policy, and NGOs, both in person and online.
Within BlueRemediomics, UNIABDN and ABSint are leading Work Package 5 which is aiming to improve access, protection and sharing of MGR by addressing regulatory issues and bridging knowledge gaps in Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and Intellectual Property (IP) rights, learn more.
Access the full report through the link below.