WMU and Center for Oceans Law and Policy Release BBNJ Volume

The World Maritime University (WMU) is delighted to announce that the new book on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) is now freely available online. The volume is jointly edited by Professor Myron Nordquist, Center for Oceans Law and Policy (COLP) at the University of Virginia and by Professor Ronan Long, Director of the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute.

Writing in the volume in a personal capacity, Ambassador Rena Lee (Singapore), Ambassador Havas Oegresseno (Indonesia) and Hans Corell (Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the Legal Counsel of the United Nations 1994–2004) share valuable insights on the complexity of the issues that must be overcome in developing an internationally legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Leading international scholars and scientists analyse the achievements of the treaty-making process at the United Nations to date. They also advance potential solutions to many of the intractable challenges that must be overcome if the negotiations are to be brought to a successful conclusion later this year.  Access and benefit sharing of marine genetic resources, marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, capacity building and transfer of technology, as well as Arctic environmental issues including security and shipping, are all reviewed comprehensively. Cross-cutting themes touch-upon the potential impact on existing legal frameworks and instruments, as well as the importance of including gender specific norms for the first in a law of the sea treaty.

Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, WMU President, congratulated the editors and contributors to the volume. She said, “ I am confident that this unique treaty-making process at the United Nations will deliver important results that strengthen capacity building in oceans affairs including sustainable funding arrangements for developing countries to benefit from their entitlements and to help them discharging their responsibilities under from the Agreement.”

Mr. Mitsuyuki Unno, Executive Director of The Nippon Foundation in his preface to the volume states,  ‍

“The World Maritime University – Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute was founded and tasked with addressing some of the most pressing issues in ocean affairs and the law of the sea. The Nippon Foundation is therefore very pleased to see that the Institute is working very closely with the Center of Oceans Law and Policy at the University of Virginia School of Law along with other international partners in making a substantive contribution to the negotiation of a new treaty on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction through this academic conference and fine volume of conference papers.”‍

The Nippon Foundation anticipates that this important contribution to scholarship will be welcomed worldwide by all those concerned with ocean affairs and international cooperation to ensure peace and the sustainable future of our planet for many future generations.

The volume brings together papers delivered at the 43rd Annual Conference of the Center for Oceans Law and Policy (COLP) that was held 14 May to 16 May 2019 at the World Maritime University, Sasakawa Auditorium in Malmö, Sweden. The Conference was co-organized with the WMU – Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute under its Nippon Foundation Programme.

The volume is available for download at: https://brill.com/view/title/56859