PAM welcomes the adoption by the UN of the first-ever treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, and recognizes the crucial importance of this Agreement in addressing key challenges related to marine biodiversity, climate change and ocean protection.
PAM has participated in and contributed to the negotiations that led to the historic agreement, as well as in the recent 31st Meeting of the Parties of UNCLOS, the framework convention upon which the agreement is built.
The agreement, which will ensure the biodiversity protection in over two-thirds of the oceans, includes an innovative framework for fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the management of marine genetic resources, while also enabling the establishment of area-based management tools that are essential for marine biodiversity conservation.
Moreover, PAM praises the commitment of the Parties, expressed in the agreement, to facilitate cooperation in capacity-building and marine technology transfer, particularly in support of developing States.
PAM will also look forward to the implementation of the agreement’s institutional commitments, including the establishment of a Conference of the Parties, which the Assembly will regularly attend and contribute to.
The Treaty will be officially open for signatures on 20 September 2023, the day after the end of the SDG Summit in New York, on the last day on the 2023 UN General Assembly, which PAM attends every year as Permanent Observer.
PAM encourages its Members to undertake all the necessary actions and preparations to ensure a prompt ratification process and early implementation of the Treaty’s provisions. The expeditious entry into force of the agreement is essential to address the current threats faced by our oceans and to achieve the ambitious ocean-related goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda and in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
PAM stands ready to assist its Members, the international community and the UN system in fostering the smooth implementations of these processes, as multilateral cooperation will play a pivotal role in realizing the shared vision of a sustainable and thriving marine environment.//