As a part of Blue Week Grenada 2016, the Global Ocean Forum, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the University of Delaware’s Gerard J. Mangone Center for Marine Policy, and the project partners of the Global Environment Facility/ Food and Agriculture Organization/ Global Ocean Forum Project on Strengthening Capacity to Effectively Manage ABNJ as part of the GEF/FAO Program on Global Sustainable Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (“CommonOceans,” www.commonoceans.org) organized a workshop on Capacity Development to Improve the Management of Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ): Needs, Experiences, Options, and Opportunities, held from May 18-21, 2016 in St. George’s, Grenada.

The workshop brought together 55 participants representing various stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, civil society and national and regional ocean leaders to:

1. Discuss and exchange information and perspectives towards a broader understanding of the needs and opportunities in the development of capacity regarding ABNJ

2. Contribute information on capacity development to the global deliberations towards a legally-binding international instrument on BBNJ under UNCLOS; and

3. Formulate next steps in the way forward in advancing capacity development regarding ABNJ, building on past and ongoing initiatives and experiences (especially the outputs of the GEF/FAO Common Oceans Program), and responding to global prescriptions on capacity development regarding marine resources and their management.

Resources:

Workshop Report

Workshop Agenda

Workshop List of Participants

SESSION 1. OPENING SESSION: THE CENTRALITY OF CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN MARINE AREAS BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION (ABNJ) AND TO PROMOTE BLUE GROWTH

The GEF/FAO Common Oceans Program – Nicole Glineur, Program Manager, Biodiversity and Private Sector, Global Environment Facility

Capacity Development – A Common Thread through the GEF/FAO Common Oceans Program – Jacqueline Alder, Fish Code Manager, Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, FAO

The Importance of Wise EEZ and ABNJ Management – H.E. Dr. Caleb Otto, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Palau to the United Nations

Overview of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) BBNJ Process – Thembile Joyini, Counsellor (Legal Advisor/Sixth Committee), Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations

Capacity as an Essential Element of New Economic Developments in ABNJ – Sainivalati S. Navoti, Senior Legal Officer, International Seabed Authority

SESSION 2. THE EVOLUTION OF GLOBAL PROVISIONS ON CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT ON OCEANS TOWARD ENHANCED IMPLEMENTATION

Overview of the Global Provisions in Capacity Development on Oceans and Their Implementation – Biliana Cicin-Sain, Global Ocean Forum and University of Delaware

Overview of Ongoing discussions on Capacity Development in the BBNJ PrepCom Process – Prim Masrinuan, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United Nations

SESSION 3. CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT REGARDING AREA-BASED MANAGEMENT IN ABNJ

Overview of the Application of Area-based Management Approaches and Tools to ABNJ (Cross-sectoral and Sectoral), Challenges, Lessons Learned, Possible Future Directions – Marjo Vierros, Senior Adjunct Fellow, United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability

Overview of Ongoing Discussions on Area-Based Management in the BBNJ PrepCom Process – Lizanne Aching, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations

Collaboration Among Regional Institutions on Area-Based Management in the Mediterranean – Daniel Cebrian Menchero, Strategic Actions Programme Officer, Mediterranean Action Plan, Regional Activity Center for Marine Protected Areas, Tunisia

SESSION 4. MOBILIZING FOR CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION IN ABNJ

Capacity Development, the Blue Economy and Possible Mechanisms for Mobilization in ABNJ and in EEZs – Indumathie Hewawasam, Senior Policy Advisor, Global Ocean Forum and John Virdin, Director, Oceans and Coastal Policy Program, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University

SESSION 5. BREAK-OUT GROUP DISCUSSIONS: CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN ABNJ: WHAT POSSIBLE MODALITIES FOR AREA-BASED MANAGEMENT IN ABNJ AND REQUISITE CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AT THE REGIONAL LEVELS?

ABNJ Capacity Project Survey on ABNJ Capacity Needs – Erica Wales, University of Delaware, and Miriam Balgos, University of Delaware and the Global Ocean Forum

Breakout Group Presentations

Asia

Africa

Latin America & the Caribbean

Pacific

SIDE EVENT: The Sargasso Sea Commission: An Innovative Approach to the Conservation of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

The Sargasso Sea Commission: An Innovative Approach to the Conservation of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction – David Freestone, Executive Secretary, Sargasso Sea Commission

 

The Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Global Ocean Forum (GOF) project on Strengthening Global Capacity to Effectively Manage Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction has developed the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) Regional Leaders Program. This program is designed to strengthen the capacity of leaders from developing countries and small island developing States (SIDS) at the regional and national levels to better address ABNJ resources and issues and to more effectively participate in global and regional ABNJ discussions.

The 2016 session of the ABNJ Regional Leaders Program, organized by the GOF and University of Delaware with FAO and other project partners, will select up to 8 regional and national leaders to participate in the session on March 21 to April 2, 2016 at the United Nations in New York. Travel and per diem costs of the participants will be supported by the project, with preference given to applicants from developing countries and SIDS. Additional self-funded qualified participants may be accommodated, subject to space considerations.

“Regional leaders” include staff/officers of, and representatives of state parties to, regional organizations (e.g., Regional Seas Programs, regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs), Large Marine Ecosystem Programs, regional economic organizations), which carry out regional activities related to the management of the environment and resources relevant to areas beyond national jurisdiction. “National leaders” include government officers and subject matter specialists in relevant government agencies, e.g., Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Fisheries, responsible for the management of national activities (or activities of their nationals) in ABNJ, either based in national capitals or those assigned to the permanent missions to the UN in New York.

The application period for the 2016 session of the ABNJ Regional Leaders Program has now ended.

For more information about the ABNJ Regional Leaders Program, please click here.

Resources:

MODULE 1. OVERVIEW OF ABNJ RESOURCES AND ISSUES

Introduction to the Course

ABNJ: Why Should You Care?

MODULE 2. THE LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGING AREAS BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION—GLOBAL LEVEL

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

MODULE 3. EXISTING USES OF THE ABNJ AND AUTHORITIES AND PROCESSES RELATED TO ABNJ AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL

Fisheries

Deep Seabed Mining

Marine Genetic Resources and Bioprospecting

Regional Fishery Management Organizations

Submarine Cables and Global Telecommunications

MODULE 4. AREA-BASED APPROACHES TO MANAGEMENT OF ABNJ

Area-Based Management – Existing Experiences in EEZ and Coastal Zones

Tools for Area-Based Management

Applying Area-Based Management Planning to ABNJ: Challenges and Opportunities

MODULE 5. GLOBAL NEGOTIATIONS REGARDING ABNJ: EVOLUTION OF NEGOTIATIONS, ISSUES, CONDUCT OF THE PREPCOM ON BBNJ

Global Negotiations on ABNJ

MODULE 6. CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT REGARDING ABNJ

Capacity Development in ABNJ: Capacity Needs

Capacity Development Initiatives at UN-DOALOS

MODULE 7. PROTECTION OF MARINE BIODIVERSITY: SCIENCE TOOLS AND APPROACHES

Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS)

Convention on Biological Diversity’s Programme of Work on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity

MODULE 8. AUTHORITIES AND PROCESSES RELATED TO ABNJ AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL: EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNED

Regional Authorities and Experiences – The Sargasso Sea Case

UNEP Regional Seas Programs

Large Marine Ecosystems

MODULE 9. PREPARING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PREPCOM NEGOTIATIONS: HOW THE UN WORKS AND THE DYNAMICS OF INTERNATIONAL OCEAN NEGOTIATIONS

Climate and Oceans

A View from Outside the UN

Side Event at the 1st Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292 “Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument 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” on Regional and National Perspectives on Area-Based Management and Capacity Development Needs in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ): Examples from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands Regions

Introduction

Africa

Asia

Latin America and the Caribbean

Pacific Islands

On 17-20 February 2015, the Global Ocean Forum and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) co-organized a Workshop on Linking Global and Regional Levels in the Management of Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction at FAO headquarters in Rome, with funding support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The workshop was conducted in collaboration with the project partners of the GEF/FAO/GOF Project on Strengthening Capacity to Effectively Manage ABNJ as part of the GEF/FAO Program on Global Sustainable Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (“Common Oceans,” www.commonoceans.org). Over one hundred participants convened for an open and constructive policy dialogue for supporting national, regional, and global processes in place (formal and informal) in enhancing ecosystem approaches to the management of ABNJ.

For more information about the workshop, including agenda, list of participants, and presentations, please click here.