Overline: UBA/IASS - INTERNATIONAL EXPERT WORKSHOP IN POTSDAM

Headline: A benefit sharing mechanism appropriate for the Common Heritage of Mankind


A benefit sharing mechanism appropriate for the Common Heritage of Mankind

Following up on a dialogue meeting with national stakeholders in June 2018, this international expert workshop addressed ecomomic implications of the implementation of the Common Heritage of Mankind principle when developing the enabling legislation for deep seabed mining in the Area. The overall objective was to stimulate debate on the Common Heritage of Mankind and its benefit sharing element by discussing first ideas how the benefit sharing required by Article 140 paragraph 2 UNCLOS could be appropriately conceptualized in order to meet with the spirit and the requirements of the Common Heritage of Mankind principle.

Jointly organized by the German Environment Agency and the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, 50 stakeholders from allover the world and with a range backgrounds considered the following aspects:

► The legal framework of the common heritage of mankind, in particular its benefit sharing provisions;
► The option of a full economic assessment of deep seabed mining operations;
► Economic considerations in light of the Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals;
► Forward thinking of deep seabed mining with a 2030 Scenario Approach;
► The future role of the Enterprise;
► The interlinkage with the BBNJ process.

An overview of the workshop discussions was presented during a side event at the 25th Session of the Council of the International Seabed Authority in Kingston, Jamaica, in February 2019.

The workshop report can be found here