If you are attending the 2022 Ocean Sciences Meeting, please join us for a special town hall event for the ocean science community on the UN High Seas Treaty negotiations, co-sponsored by The Girguis Lab at Harvard University, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and ASLO.
Event Information
TH57 A Dialogue Between the Negotiators of the UN High Seas Treaty and the Ocean Science Community
Date and Time:2/25/2022, 3:00PM to 4:30PM
Location: Room 06
Countries are negotiating a comprehensive global binding treaty at the United Nations to better protect biodiversity in the high seas (High Seas Treaty). More information about the High Seas Treaty negotiations is available in a recent blog by ASLO (see below). Developing a governance framework for Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs) of the high seas is a crucial element of the proposed treaty. Negotiating countries’ positions on MGRs of the high seas, including questions on the sharing of benefits from their use, range from no regulation to an elaborate infrastructure for access and benefit sharing of all MGRs of the high seas. For the scientists who may be involved with MGRs of the high seas as well as Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities that may hold relevant traditional knowledge of the MGRs, the outcome of the High Seas Treaty could impact their day-to-day work as well as their rights. Strong engagement with scientists from both the academic and private sector, as well as traditional knowledge holders, will likely increase the odds that any new governance framework will be practical and remain relevant in decades to come, and also provide a platform that will foster research, collaboration, and marine conservation. In an effort to inform ocean scientists on the status of the treaty negotiations and provide a forum for input from the community, we propose a virtual panel discussion with treaty negotiators. Following in the style of a similar workshop organized by The Girguis Lab at Harvard University, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, ASLO, and International Council of Environmental Law held in the Summer of 2021, this virtual town hall meeting will feature several treaty negotiators who will engage in a dialogue with OSM attendees about their perspectives under Chatham House Rule. This event will occur a week prior to the last session of the High Seas Treaty negotiations, which is scheduled to take place at the UN headquarters in March 2022.
You will find the agenda for the town hall here: 2022 OSM Town Hall High Seas Treaty Concept Note and Program
For more information, please see our recent blog post.
Questions? Contact: Brittany Schieler, ASLO, communications@aslo.org.