Pakistan’s Perspective and Role in the BBNJ Agreement: Interests, Responsibilities, and Global Divergences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58932/MULG0073Keywords:
BBNJ agreement, Pakistan, marine genetic resources, developing countries, IGC, fish.Abstract
The global agreement of Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction BBNJ is the most anticipated one to be soon enforced effectively. This agreement is a clear depiction of efforts made globally to complete it and to give a final shape. The research paper intends to highlight the perspective and role of Pakistan in the BBNJ agreement amid global participation to the agreement using descriptive method of research. This study goes deep into efforts and views by developing countries in their inter-governmental conference (IGC) sessions towards finalizing the BBNJ agreement as an international legally binding agreement on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Marine genetic resources, concept of sea as common heritage of humankind and omitting fish from the scope of BBNJ agreement are looked into in this manuscript. The focus is on the great geographical position of Pakistan having extensive coastal line thus emphasizing the importance of BBNJ agreement for Pakistan. Pakistan’s active participation in the BBNJ discussions and its representation of group of 77 developing countries (G-77) at the United Nations is undeniable. Besides paying a big appreciation to its great contributions into BBNJ discussions, this study reveals that Pakistan still requires updating its respective policy development and data to welcoming and taking up the BBNJ agreement more effectively. This discrepancy can be dealt with a mindful and industrious conduct.
References
Ali Khan, S. M., & Kabir, T. M. A. (2002). Sea level variations and geomorphological changes in the coastal belt of Pakistan. Marine Geodesy, 25(3), 159–174.
Ardron, J., Druel, E., Gjerde, K., Houghton, K., Rochette, J., & Unger, S. (2013). Advancing governance of the high seas (pp. 1–12).
Banshchikova, I. (2021). International environmental treaty-making: The future of the UN BBNJ treaty.
De Santo, E. M. (2018). Implementation challenges of area-based management tools (ABMTs) for biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). Marine Policy, 97, 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.08.034
Elferink, A. O. (2012). Governance principles for areas beyond national jurisdiction. International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law.
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2022). The state of world fisheries and aquaculture 2022. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://www.fao.org/publications/sofia/en/
Gjerde, K. M. (2006). Ecosystems and biodiversity in deep waters and high seas. United Nations Environment Programme. https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/11811/rsrs178.pdf
Gunasekara, S. N., & Karim, M. S. (2022). Australia's interaction with Asian countries in the negotiation for an international agreement for the marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, 22(1), 49–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10784-021-09546-3
Houghton, K. (2014). Identifying new pathways for ocean governance: The role of legal principles in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy.
Humphries, F., & Harden-Davies, H. (2020). Practical policy solutions for the final stage of BBNJ treaty negotiations. Marine Policy, 122, Article 104214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104214
International Institute for Sustainable Development. (2019). Summary of the third session of the Intergovernmental Conference on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
International Institute for Sustainable Development. (2022). Summary report of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Conference on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, 15–26 August 2022. https://enb.iisd.org/marine-biodiversity-beyond-national-jurisdiction-bbnj-igc5-summary
International Institute for Sustainable Development. (n.d.). Summary report: Intergovernmental Conference on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, resumed session, 20 February–4 March 2023. https://enb.iisd.org/marine-biodiversity-beyond-national-jurisdiction-bbnj-igc5-resumed-summary
Jing, L. (2019). High seas treaty: Race for rights to ocean's genetic resources. China Dialogue Ocean. https://chinadialogueocean.net/9644-high-seas-treaty-race-for-rights-to-oceans-genetic-resources/
Kanu, M. I. (2023). How Africa benefits from the new historic "high seas" treaty on maritime biodiversity. Africa Renewal. United Nations. https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/april-2023/how-africa-benefits-new-historic-high-seas-treaty-maritime-biodiversity
Leal Filho, W., Azul, A. M., Brandli, L., Lange Salvia, A., & Wall, T. (Eds.). (2022). Life below water. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98536-7
Leary, D. (2019). Agreeing to disagree on what we have or have not agreed on: The current state of play of the BBNJ negotiations on the status of marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy.
Lee, S. (Ed.). (2020). Asian yearbook of international law. Brill.
Liu, D. (2022). The interplay between the CAOF Agreement and BBNJ Agreement: A Chinese perspective. Sustainability, 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114575
Lothian, S. (n.d.). Forget me not: Revisiting the common concern of humankind concept in the BBNJ context. https://ro.uow.edu.au/balpapers
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Nautical Eye and Strategic Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
