ABNJ Marine Genetic Resources: Everything, everywhere, all at once.

Everything

The international community has achieved remarkable commitments to regulate the exploration and exploitation of marine genetic resources (MGRs), including international legally-binding instruments.  The objective of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) is “to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, for the present and in the long term, through effective implementation of the relevant provisions of the Convention and further international cooperation and coordination.” Fourteen principles and approaches are set out to guide Parties towards this goal.

Everywhere

According to the BBNJ Agreement MGR are any material of marine plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of heredity of actual or potential value. The established Clearing-House Mechanism will be primarily constituted by an open access platform, the precise modalities of which will be determined by the Conference of the Parties. Gaps and emerging issues in the current legal framework have been analysed. Efforts have also been made to develop technical guidance on guiding principles, knowledge sharing, capacity building and technology transfer, particularly for developing countries. Underlying these initiatives, however, is the notion of a promised land in which various public and private actors are eager to claim their share.

All at once

On paper, exploring ABNJs should help conserve biodiversity and ensure its sustainable use. Unfortunately for us, history is replete with examples of ecosystem changes and loss of biodiversity caused by our presence in different parts of the planet.

Science plays a central role in current and future decision-making over MRGs. While the focus has been on capacity and discovery for growth, understanding how scientific knowledge is exchanged, disseminated, and assimilated and how degrowth can be part of the framing is of the essence. Furthermore, the boundary between Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and the high seas is unclear from a biodiversity perspective. Scientific coordination at the global level will be key to assessing genetic connectivity between areas and validating the techniques and indices used to estimate genetic diversity, among others.

When the Devil is into details. What role for science in shaping access and fair and equitable sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources?

Until the agreement is ratified by the Parties and enters into force, the scientific community has a lot of work ahead of it. Building on the findings from fifty years of research, this talk calls for reflective thinking on MGRs. Natural resources have been prone to accelerated competition, overexploitation, underutilization, and conflict, and MGRs are no exception. The scientific community should address the remits within which policy and societal goals can safely operate, make precautionary approaches functional at the international level, and understand when social and economic benefits derive from the non-use of MGRs.