Preparatory Commission: Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (Second Session, 10th plenary).

The second session of the Commission is scheduled to be held from 18 to 29 August 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

• Opening (item 1)
• Adoption of the Agenda (item 2)
• Programme of work (item 3)
• Appointment of members of the Credentials Committee (item 4)
• Consideration of the matters to be addressed by the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement at its first meeting and additional matters, as identified by the Preparatory Commission (item 5)
• Rules of Procedure of the Conference of the Parties (Cluster I: Issue 1)

The BBNJ Agreement addresses four main issues: 

Marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits;
Measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas;
Environmental impact assessments; and
Capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology.

In its resolution 78/272, the General Assembly decided to establish a preparatory commission to prepare for the entry into force of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction and to prepare for the convening of the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement.

Pursuant to General Assembly decision 78/560, the first session of the Commission was held from 14 to 25 April 2025. Pursuant to the same decision, the second session of the Commission is scheduled to be held from 18 to 29 August 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Related Sites and Documents: Website; the Proposed organization of work (pdf)


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