India today urged member states to continue their commitment to protect and conserve oceans and their biodiversity as well as promote sustainable economic development and the welfare of coastal populations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). .
In a draft statement endorsing a coalition with high ambitions for an early conclusion of the International Legally Binding Instrument – Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) under UNCLOS, Union Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh said that India’s approach to biodiversity management is in accordance with three globally recognized principles: conservation, sustainable use and equitable benefit sharing.
Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that India’s legislative framework, the ‘Biodiversity Act, 2002’, is testament to these values and we are committed to supporting all efforts by global organizations working towards the common goal of achieving a strong and effective agreement on conservation and sustainable exploitation of marine biodiversity in areas outside national jurisdiction.
Protect and Resilient Ocean
In a draft statement, Dr Jitendra Singh wished for a global agreement to ensure a protected and resilient ocean and widespread support for the early conclusion of the ongoing negotiations on the BBNJ and the entry into force of a strong framework that addresses the conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their usage.
Apart from the main elements such as marine protected areas, marine genetic resources and equitable benefit sharing, capacity building and transfer of marine technology and environmental impact assessment, India believes that the establishment of new institutions or the strengthening of existing institutions in a robust democratic way of functioning are much more important, added the minister.
Dr Jitendra Singh emphasized that India is satisfied with the current IGC talks as there have been several rounds of intergovernmental talks since 2014, with the last one being held in 2023. He added that during these talks, member states worked to achieve agreements on various issues, including the scope and management of the agreement, the conservation and management of marine genetic resources, the sharing of benefits from their exploitation and conservation, and the conservation of marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
Several key Issues
Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that despite significant progress on several key issues, negotiations are still ongoing and no consensus has been reached on important issues such as funding, intellectual property rights and institutional mechanisms.
The Minister said that India is looking forward to this latest session which we believe will result in constructive ideas that will be a big step forward in addressing these challenges. We believe that the adoption of the BBNJ Agreement would signal the international community’s strong commitment to the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction and would provide a clear mandate for the implementation of the Agreement, the Minister added.
Biodiversity found in areas outside national jurisdiction remains a vital resource from the global seas, with more than 60% of it yet to be managed and regulated by a legal framework aimed at conservation. Biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction is also critical to the health of the ocean, the well-being of coastal populations, and the overall sustainability of the planet.
