Inside the UN Negotiations for a High Seas Treaty with Pew's Nichola Clark

August 22, 2022

Keep an eye on this one, folks!

The final round of negotiations for a legally binding treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of the high sea is currently underway at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, and on this episode we are taking a look behind the scenes as this consequential treaty is finalized. Joining hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham is Nichola Clark from the The Pew Charitable Trusts, who follows the treaty negotiations on marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) as part of Pew’s campaign to protect ocean life on the high seas.

Only 1% of the high seas, the vast area of ocean typically more than 200 nautical miles from any shore and beyond the jurisdiction of any country, is currently protected. To address these governance gaps, the final round of negotiations is currently taking place at the 5th Intergovernmental Conference (IGC5). Delegates from around the world must agree an ambitious high seas treaty that will guide the effective conservation and sustainable use of shared marine resources to ensure the health of our ocean and planet for future generations.

It will have major consequences on the future of the Oceans!

Only on ASPN!

Show Transcription
This transcription was generated by a computer. Please excuse any errors.
Peter Ravella & Tyler Buckingham

Peter and Tyler joined forces in 2015 and from the first meeting began discussing a project that would become Coastal News Today and the American Shoreline Podcast Network. At the time, Peter and Tyler were coastal consultants for Pete’s firm, PAR Consulting, LLC. In that role, they worked with coastal communities in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina, engaged in grant writing, coastal project development, shoreline erosion and land use planning, permitting, and financial planning for communities undertaking big beach restoration projects. Between and among their consulting tasks, they kept talking and kept building the idea of CNT & ASPN. In almost every arena they worked, public engagement played a central role. They spent thousands of hours talking with coastal stakeholders, like business owners, hotel operators, condo managers, watermen, property owners, enviros, surfers, and fishermen. They dived deep into the value, meaning, and responsibility for the American shoreline, segment-by-segment. Common threads emerged, themes were revealed, differences uncovered. There was a big conversation going on along the American shoreline! But, no place to have it. That's where CNT and ASPN were born.