The organizational session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction will convene at UN Headquarters in New York, US.

This session follows the fourth and concluding session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) on the elements of a draft text of an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) under UNCLOS, which concluded with the adoption of an outcome by consensus. The outcome included non-exclusive elements of a draft ILBI text that generated convergence among most delegations, a list of main issues on which there is a divergence of views, with the indication that both do not reflect consensus. It also included a recommendation to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to take a decision, as soon as possible, on the convening of an intergovernmental conference (IGC).

The SDG Knowledge Hub summary of the fourth PrepCom is here.

dates: 16-18 April 2018
venue: UN Headquarters
location: New York City, US
www: http://www.un.org/depts/los/reference_files/calendar_of_meetings.htm