Negotiating the Ocean

4) Navigating the Voyage Ahead: Treaty Implementation

Episode 4 covers practical considerations how to implement Part II of the BBNJ Agreement. Experts share experiences from ratification processes in their countries, considerations in relation to Intellectual Property Rights for the transfer of Marine Technology, current discussions around the standardised batch identifier, ideas how to enhance interoperability of databases, and the role of the BBNJ Committees to deal with issues of Access and Benefit Sharing, as well as Capacity Building and the Transfer of Marine Technology. Guests * Fran Humphries, Associate Professor at Griffith University, Australia, specialises in biodiversity law, law of the sea and intellectual property. She has led large projects on governance of genetic resources, digital sequence information and associated traditional knowledge for governments, NGOs and UN organisations. She was on the International Council of Environmental Law delegation during the BBNJ negotiations. She recently led an open access practical guide and commentary on the BBNJ Agreement's MGR obligations. * Abbe Brown is Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the University of Aberdeen, specializing in IP’s intersection with other legal fields to address societal challenges. She served as BILETA Chair (2021–2024) and NERC Senior Expert (2021–2023), and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2025). With nearly 10 years in legal practice (London, Melbourne, Edinburgh), Abbe maintains strong professional and industry ties. She contributes to BBNJ negotiations with Chemistry colleagues and the IUCN, co-developed Song of the Ocean, and led intergenerational public engagement events (e.g., Tall Ships Aberdeen, 2025). Abbe has participated in UNFCCC COP26, the WIPO Diplomatic Conference on Genetic Resources (2024), and serves on the UN Regular Process Expert Pool for the World Ocean Assessment and the WMU MGR Scientific Advisory Committee. * Lowri Mai Griffiths is a senior legal and policy leader with over 20 years’ experience shaping the UK’s international approach to ocean governance. As Head of the Ocean Policy Unit at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, she led the UK’s implementation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and served as Head of Delegation for the negotiation of the BBNJ Agreement. Lowri works at the intersection of law, science, policy and international cooperation, with a long‑standing commitment to evidence‑based policymaking and sustainable ocean governance. * Richard Tur de la Concepcion serves as a Cuban delegate to the BBNJ process. Among his notable achievements is his role as coordinator of the Group of 77 and China in the Fifth Committee during 2023, under Cuba’s presidency of the Group. During that period, he was recognized for his leadership and initiatives aimed at enhancing the efficiency and impact of the United Nations. Co-production * Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki - Postdoctoral research Fellow, ANCORS * Jennifer Macey⁠ - Journalist & PhD Candidate, University of Wollongong * Fran Humphries - Associate Professor in Environmental Law, Griffith University Law School * Amelia Westmoreland - Scientific Researcher for 3Bio & Engagement Strategist * Marcel Jaspars - Professor of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen * Abbe Brown - Professor in Intellectual Property Law, University of Aberdeen Editing * Bettina Otterbeck - Freelance Video Editor Communications * Sunnefa Yeatman - PhD Candidate, ANCORS Further reading See Chapters 9, 10, 12, and 13 in Humphries, F. (ed.) (2025), Decoding Marine Genetic Resource Governance under the BBNJ Agreement (Springer) Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme, Grant Agreement No. 101082304 (BlueRemediomics). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority, the Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

3) Anchoring the Framework: Interaction between Treaty Systems

Episode 3 explores the role and future design of the treaty’s Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM). The episode examines why this mechanism is needed and what will be required to establish it effectively. Discussion focuses on how the CHM could connect with existing gene banks, repositories, databases to facilitate information sharing on MGRs. The conversation also highlights the potential role of the CHM as a “match-maker” between capacity needs and capacity-building opportunities. In addition, the episode considers how traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local communities may be recognised and protected, and reflects on related debates in other international fora. Guests * Marcel Jaspars, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen leads the Marine Biodiscovery Centre which focuses on marine resources for novel pharmaceuticals, and to investigate fundamental questions in marine chemical ecology and biosynthesis. Marcel develops the science, its applications/industrial uptake and associated policy involved in marine biodiscovery and biotechnology. He provides scientific advice to the UK, EU and UN for global policy processes on ocean conservation and digital sequence information via reports, papers and taking part in discussion meetings. * Amber Hartman Scholz, microbiologist and Head of the Science Policy & Internationalization Department at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ in Braunschweig, Germany. She leads international science policy research with an emphasis on ABS and DSI. She co-founded the DSI Scientific Network and the German Nagoya Protocol Hub and is engaged leads Observer delegations under the CBD, the WHO, BBNJ and the FAO Plant Treaty. She held previous science policy posts in the California State Senate and the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy during the Obama administration. She holds a PhD in Biology from the Johns Hopkins University. * Julia Schutz Veiga, consultant in ocean governance and the law of the sea, with recognised expertise in the BBNJ Agreement and marine technology transfer. Her research examines how international legal architectures distribute power, access, and benefits in the global ocean, with particular attention to equity-oriented implementation and the interface between legal design and practice. * Vanessa Paloma Lopes, early career scientist and recent graduate of Boston University, with a Master of Science degree in Marine Biology. Vanessa is a member of the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) BBNJ working group. Her research interests include a focus on enabling capacity building for early career scientists in SIDS and identifying challenges and options for sustainable development and conservation of the Oceans in Cabo Verde. Co-producers *  Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ANCORS *  Jennifer Macey - Journalist & PhD Candidate, University of Wollongong * Fran Humphries - Associate Professor in Environmental Law, Griffith University Law School * Amelia Westmoreland - Scientific Researcher for 3Bio & Engagement Strategist * Marcel Jaspars - Professor of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen * Abbe Brown - Professor in Intellectual Property Law, University of Aberdeen Editing: * Bettina Otterbeck - Freelance Video Editor Communications: * Sunnefa Yeatman - PhD Candidate, ANCORS Further readingHumphries, F. (ed.) (2025). Decoding Marine Genetic Resource Governance under the BBNJ Agreement [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7#toc] (Springer): Chapter 8 (on TK) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_8] Chapter 9 (on Intellectual Property Rights) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_9] Chapter 11 (Interlinkages with other bodies) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_11]  BBNJ Agreement & Official Website [https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en/bbnj-agreement/text-bbnj-agreement]Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme, Grant Agreement No. 101082304 (BlueRemediomics). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority, the Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

2) The Ship has Reached the Shore’: Sharing Ocean Heritage & Wealth

Episode 2 goes from the negotiation room into the text of the treaty – to unpick what access and benefit sharing of Marine Genetic Resources really means. We explore what the treaty means in practice for scientists and commercial end users, what the provisions hold for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and the relevance for future generations. Guests * Thomas Vanagt holds a PhD in Science from the University of Ghent and is the founder of ABSint, now part of 3BIO, a multidisciplinary company specialising in the valorisation of biotechnology R&D. With over two decades of experience at the interface of marine science, policy, and innovation, he has advised multinational companies as well as leading research institutes such as KU Leuven and VIB. Vanagt provides high-level policy guidance to the European Commission (DG ENV, DG MARE) and to several States and regional groups in the United Nations negotiations on BBNJ. His work focuses on access and benefit-sharing, marine genetic resources, and enabling practical pathways for equitable and sustainable research.” * Angelique Pouponneau is a Seychellois lawyer and ocean advocate who serves as Lead Negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States on ocean issues. She has been engaged in the BBNJ negotiations since 2018, representing both Seychelles and AOSIS. With a PhD and LLM in Environmental Law and more than a decade of experience as a practitioner across small island developing States in the Caribbean, Pacific, and Indian Ocean, she brings deep expertise in ocean governance and climate action. Previously, Angelique served as CEO of the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust and as Chief of Staff to the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Team. * Elisa Morgera is Professor of International Law and Sustainability at the University of Durham, UK and Professor of International and EU Environmental Law at the University of Eastern Finland. She is the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change and Human Rights.  * Zakieh Taghizadeh is a legal scholar specializing in international environmental law, ocean governance, intellectual property, and human rights. She actively participated in the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) PrepCom negotiations that led to the adoption of the BBNJ Agreement. Her direct involvement in the BBNJ process as a legal researcher and practitioner, has shaped her research on the conservation of marine genetic resources, asymmetries in intergenerational and intra-generational equity, law of the sea and intellectual property treaty-making processes, and the normative evolution of global environmental governance. Co-Producers * Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki - Postdoctoral research Fellow, ANCORS * Jennifer Macey⁠ - Journalist & PhD Candidate, University of Wollongong * Fran Humphries - Associate Professor in Environmental Law, Griffith University Law School * Amelia Westmoreland - Scientific Researcher for 3Bio & Engagement Strategist * Marcel Jaspars - Professor of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen * Abbe Brown - Professor in Intellectual Property Law, University of Aberdeen Editing * Bettina Otterbeck - Freelance Video Editor Communications * Sunnefa Yeatman - PhD Candidate, ANCORS Further readingHumphries, F. (ed.) (2025). Decoding Marine Genetic Resource Governance under the BBNJ Agreement [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7#toc] (Springer) Chapter 5 (BBNJ Notification System) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_5] Chapter 6 (Monetary & Non-monetary benefits) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_6]   Chapter 7 (Monitoring & Transparency) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_7] Chapter 8 (TK) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_8] Chapter 14 (Scientists & Commercial End Users) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_14] Chapter 15 (Equity) [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_15] BBNJ Agreement & Official Website [https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en/bbnj-agreement/text-bbnj-agreement] Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme, Grant Agreement No. 101082304 (BlueRemediomics). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority, the Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

1 ) Setting Sail: Negotiating the Treaty

About: This podcast series explores the governance of marine genetic resources (MGRs) under the BBNJ Agreement, moving beyond implementation challenges to unpack the treaty’s provisions for areas beyond national jurisdiction. Drawing on insights from scientists, treaty negotiators, Indigenous knowledge holders, policymakers, and commercial users, the series highlights diverse perspectives on equity, data governance, intellectual property, and institutional design. Episode 1 introduces how MGRs became a central and contested issue in the BBNJ negotiations. It explains the political compromises on access and benefit-sharing. Guests Luciana Fernandes Coelho, consultant & Visiting Fellow of the Ocean Voices Programme, University of Edinburgh. She holds a PhD in Maritime Affairs and has experience as a Research Fellow at the Stockholm Environmental Institute, Coordinator for the DOALOS/Norad Programmes of Assistance, advocacy analyst for Oceana, Brazil, and as legal adviser for DOSI and the Brazilian delegations in the BBNJ negotiations. Daniel Kachelriess, expert on oceans, fisheries, wildlife law and policy and followed the negotiations of the BBNJ Agreement as part of the HSA and as a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law. He serves as HSA cross-cutting coordinator. His previous roles include Executive Director of a non-profit law firm, and the Marine Species Officer of the CITES Secretariat. Konrad Marciniak, Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. He represented Poland in international fora and was closely involved in all stages of the BBNJ negotiations, serving as Head of the Polish delegation, member of the EU negotiating team on MGRs, and of the IGC Bureau. He holds a PhD on the legal status of MGRs. Joan Yang has been working on UN and Multilateral oceans issues since 2006 - which has included following the BBNJ process in all its iterations since 2006 and through the IGC she served as PSIDS coordinator on cross-cutting issues. Joan was also part of the Pacific team which secured the SDG on the Ocean and the KMGBF, including target 3. She is currently an advisor to the Vanuatu Mission in the UN who is the PSIDS coordinator on the Clearinghouse Mechanism. Tamara Thomas, Executive Director of Ocean Ties with 15+ years’ experience in international ocean governance, including the CBD, UNFCCC, BBNJ, and ISA. She held senior roles at Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy and advised the Chair of the UN BBNJ Preparatory Committee. She supports policy on marine nature-based solutions and innovative finance, holds a master in environmental management from Yale, and currently serves as Ocean and Ocean Climate Advisor to the Republic of Seychelles and co-leads finance, ABMT, and EIA discussions within the African Group under BBNJ. Co-producers: * Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki [https://scholars.uow.edu.au/ina-tessnowvonwysocki] - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ANCORS * Jennifer Macey [https://jennifermacey.pressfolios.com/] - Journalist & PhD Candidate, University of Wollongong * Fran Humphries - Associate Professor in Environmental Law, Griffith University Law School * Amelia Westmoreland - Scientific Researcher for 3Bio & Engagement Strategist * Marcel Jaspars - Professor of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen * Abbe Brown - Professor in Intellectual Property Law, University of Aberdeen Editing: * Bettina Otterbeck - Freelance Video Editor Communications: * Sunnefa Yeatman [https://oceanequityresearch.org/people/sunnefa-yeatman/] - PhD Candidate, ANCORS Further reading Humphries, F. (2025). Decoding Marine Genetic Resource Governance Under the BBNJ Agreement [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7] * Chapter 1 [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_1] * Chapter 2 [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_2] * Chapter 3 [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_3] * Chapter 4 [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72100-7_4] BBNJ Agreement Text & Official BBNJ Website [https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en/bbnj-agreement/text-bbnj-agreement] Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme, Grant Agreement No. 101082304 (BlueRemediomics). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority, the Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Episode 13 - Capacity Building and the Transfer of Marine Technology

A new Ocean Agreement has entered into force to conserve and sustainably use the ocean globally. Given the imbalance of scientific, technical and financial capacity across countries to use the world’s ocean, conduct marine scientific research in the deep sea and engage in maritime activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction, the new agreement seeks to change the status quo. With a dedicated part on Capacity building and the Transfer of Marine Technology, the imbalance is supposed to be addressed, and global implementation of the agreement’s objectives be facilitated. * What falls under Capacity building in the context of the BBNJ Agreement? * What is meant by the transfer of marine technology? * How is this part crucial for the implementation of the new treaty? We hear from different “Ocean Voices” from Fellows of the Ocean Voices Program of the University of Edinburgh and dive deep into their different research and ocean equity aspects in the framework of the BBNJ Agreement. Guests:  Harriet Harden-Davies Julia Schuetz-Veiga* Renee Lewinilovo Benit Mbiakolo Beatriz Naranjo Elizondo Maila Guilhon Hosts: ⁠Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki⁠ [https://scholars.uow.edu.au/ina-tessnowvonwysocki] & ⁠Jennifer Macey⁠ [https://jennifermacey.com/] Sound design and editing: ⁠⁠Emily Perkins⁠⁠ [https://emilyperkinsmedia.wordpress.com/] Communication: ⁠Sunnefa Yeatman⁠ [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sunnefa-Omarsdottir] For comments & feedback please contact: ⁠inatvw@uow.edu.au⁠ [inatvw@uow.edu.au] Find out more: ANCORS Ocean Equity page ⁠https://oceanequityresearch.org/⁠ [https://oceanequityresearch.org/] ANCORS at the University of Wollongong ⁠https://www.uow.edu.au/ancors/⁠ [https://www.uow.edu.au/ancors/] Ocean Voices Program: https://ocean-voices.ed.ac.uk/ [https://ocean-voices.ed.ac.uk/] You can find capacity building initiatives and technical assistance for the BBNJ process on the United Nations Website: https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en/capacity-building-and-technical-assistance/overview [https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en/capacity-building-and-technical-assistance/overview]    Read on Capacity Building and the Transfer of Marine Technology Etuk Johnson, A., Harden-Davies, H. (2025). Capacity Building and Transfer of Marine Technology under the BBNJ Agreement: Key considerations for SIDS. Report for the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong. https://oceanequityresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Arianne-Etuk_Capacity-Building-and-Transfer-of-Marine-Technology-under-the-BBNJ-Agreement.pdf [https://oceanequityresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Arianne-Etuk_Capacity-Building-and-Transfer-of-Marine-Technology-under-the-BBNJ-Agreement.pdf] Harden-Davies, H., Lopes, V.F., Coelho, L.F. et al. First to finish, what comes next? Putting Capacity Building and the Transfer of Marine Technology under the BBNJ Agreement into practice. npj Ocean Sustain 3, 3 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-023-00039-1 [https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-023-00039-1] Tessnow-von Wysocki, I., Bateh, F., Gobin, J., Harden-Davies, H., Kyeremeh, K., & Schutz-Veiga, J. (2024). Next steps to implement the BBNJ Agreement through capacity building and technology transfer. Maripoldata. https://www.maripoldata.eu/next-steps-to-implement-the-bbnj-agreement-through-capacity-building-andtechnology-transfer/ [https://www.maripoldata.eu/next-steps-to-implement-the-bbnj-agreement-through-capacity-building-andtechnology-transfer/] Johannes, R. E. (1981). Words of the lagoon: fishingand marine lore in the Palau district of Micronesia. Univ of California Press.   Know more & Research of the Ocean Voices Fellows Costa Rica Desconocida: https://costaricadesconocida.com/ [https://costaricadesconocida.com/] Guilhon, M, Xavier, LY, von Pogrell, L, Singh, P,Christiansen, S & Turra, A 2023, ‘Ecosystem-based Management through thelenses of International Seabed Authority stakeholders: current status,implications, and opportunities for the deep-sea mining regime in theArea’, Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 10. Naranjo-Elizondo, B & Cortés, J 2018, ‘Observations ofLitter Deposited in the Deep Waters of Isla del Coco National Park, EasternTropical Pacific’, Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 5. Harden-Davies, Harriet, and Júlia Schütz Veiga, 'PartV: Capacity-Building and the Transfer of Marine Technology', in Joanna Mossop, and David Freestone (eds), The Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: Commentary and Analysis (2025; online edn, Oxford Law , https://doi.org/10.1093/law/9780198918578.003.0008 [https://doi.org/10.1093/law/9780198918578.003.0008],  Meet Renee Lewenilovo [https://www.spc.int/updates/blog/dynamic-story/2025/09/early-career-ocean-professional-renee-the-ocean-voice-of] Meet Benit Mbiakolo [https://ocean-voices.ed.ac.uk/news/new-ocean-voices-fellow-benit-dorcas-davina-mbiakolo] * Julia Schuetz-Veiga is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Ocean Voices Program