For several years, I have been tracking the development of a new agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, focusing on the conservation and sustainable management of marine biodiversity. This instrument was negotiated from 2018-2023 and has been opened for signature. It is comprised of four parts: (i) marine genetic resources; (ii) area based management tools, including marine protected areas (MPAs); (iii) environmental impact assessments; and (iv) capacity building and technology transfer. I have been examining implications for MPAs in offshore areas based on experiences from regional fisheries management organizations, and I am also interested in what lessons can be learned from existing legislation on access and benefit sharing closer to shore for the genetic components of biodiversity for resources in the high seas and on the deep seabed.
Collaborators:
Dr. Beth Mendenhall (Associate Professor, University of Rhode Island Department of Marine Affairs)
Dr. Liz Nyman (Associate Professor, Texas A&M Department of Liberal Studies, Political Science)
Dr. Rachel Tiller (Chief Scientist, SINTEF Ocean, Department of Fisheries and New Biomarine Resources, Norway)
Publications:
Collaborators:
Dr. Beth Mendenhall (Associate Professor, University of Rhode Island Department of Marine Affairs)
Dr. Liz Nyman (Associate Professor, Texas A&M Department of Liberal Studies, Political Science)
Dr. Rachel Tiller (Chief Scientist, SINTEF Ocean, Department of Fisheries and New Biomarine Resources, Norway)
Publications:
- Tiller, R., Mendenhall, E., De Santo, E., and Nyman, E. (2023). Shake it off: Negotiations suspended, but hope simmering, after a lack of consensus at the fifth intergovernmental conference on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy 148: 105457 (open access).
- Mendenhall, E., De Santo, E., Jankila, M., Nyman, E., and Tiller, R. (2022) Direction not detail: Progress towards consensus at the fourth intergovernmental conference on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy 146: 105309 (open access).
- Tiller, R., Nyman, E., Mendenhall, E. and De Santo, E. (2021) The role of humanity’s responsibility towards biodiversity: the BBNJ treaty. Chapter in Handbook on Responsibility in International Relations Theory, edited by Hannes Hansen-Magnusson and Antje Vetterlein, for Routledge Press.
- De Santo, E., Mendenhall, E., Nyman, E. and Tiller, R. (2020) Stuck in the middle with you (and not much time left): The third intergovernmental conference on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy 117: 103957 (open access).
- Tiller, R., De Santo, E., Mendenhall, E., Nyman, E. and Ralby, I. (2020) Wealth blindness beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Pollution Bulletin 151: 110809.
- Mendenhall, E., De Santo, E., Nyman, E., and Tiller, R. (2019) A soft treaty, hard to reach: The second inter-governmental conference for biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy 108: 103664.
- De Santo, E.M., Ásgeirsdóttir, A., Barros-Platiau, A., Biermann, F., Dryzek, J., Gonçalves, L.R., Kim, R.E., Mendenhall, E., Mitchell, R., Nyman, E., Scobie, M., Sun, K., Tiller, R., Webster, D.G., and Young, O. (2019) Protecting biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: An earth system governance perspective. Earth System Governance 2: 100029 (open access).
- Tiller, R., De Santo, E., Nyman, E., and Mendenhall, E. (2019) The once and future treaty: Towards a new regime for biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy 99: 239-242.
- De Santo, E.M. (2018) Implementation challenges of area-based management tools (AMBTs) for biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). Marine Policy 97: 34-43 (open access).