8 May 2015 | CIL Seminar Series
An Introduction to BBNJ: Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity Beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction
Introduction
Recent medical advances in combatting chronic and life threatening medical conditions have been based on research from marine genetic resources. These scientific discoveries have focused the attention of the international community on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction. Some developing countries believe they should share in the benefits of these discoveries when the original source of the marine genetic resources came from areas either under their jurisdiction or from areas beyond national jurisdiction.
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has sponsored a number of wide-ranging discussions on how to deal with these developments. Later this year, the UNGA may begin the formal process of negotiating a new agreement on the “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity Beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction”. This seminar provided an introduction to this subject, explored possible developments, and considered Singapore’s interests in these developments.
Presentation
To download Capt Roach’s presentation in PDF format, click here.
About the Speaker
Captain J. Ashley ROACH, JAGC, U.S. Navy (retired) was attorney adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of State, from 1988 until he retired at the end of January 2009. He was responsible for law of the sea matters. He has taught, advised and published extensively on national maritime claims and other law of the sea issues, including piracy and armed robbery at sea. He has negotiated, and participated in the negotiation of, numerous international agreements involving law of the sea issues. He received his LL.M. (highest honors in public international law and comparative law) from the George Washington University School of Law in 1971 and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1963.
