Oceans and the Law of the Sea

A/RES/61/222View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 71a Oceans and the law of the sea, published in 2007.

What other versions does this mandate have?

29 versions · 1998–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/80/110

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2025	A/RES/80/110	Oceans and the law of the sea	26,991	82%Compare
2024	A/RES/79/144	Oceans and the law of the sea	29,051	77%Compare
2023	A/RES/78/69	Oceans and the law of the sea	28,253	71%Compare
2023	A/RES/77/248	Oceans and the law of the sea	30,451	83%Compare
2021	A/RES/76/72	Oceans and the law of the sea	29,565	89%Compare

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

44 reports · 2003–2026

Year	Symbol	Title	Mandate resolution
2026	A/81/345	Oceans and the law of the sea report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/80/110
2026	A/81/68	Oceans and the law of the sea report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/80/110A/RES/78/69
2025	A/80/364	Oceans and the law of the sea report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/79/144
2025	A/80/70	Oceans and the law of the sea report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/79/144
2024	A/79/340	Oceans and the law of the sea report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/78/69

What’s in this document?

143 operative paragraphs

I.Implementation of the Convention and related agreements and instruments

Reaffirms its resolutions 49/28, 52/26, 54/33, 57/141, 58/240, 59/24, 60/30 and other relevant resolutions concerning the Convention;Error: Reference source not found

Also reaffirms the unified character of the Convention and the vital importance of preserving its integrity;

Calls upon all States that have not done so, in order to achieve the goal of universal participation, to become parties to the Convention and the Agreement;Error: Reference source not found

Calls upon all States that have not done so, in order to achieve the goal of universal participation, to become parties to the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (“the Fish Stocks Agreement”);¹²

¹²Ibid., vol. 2167, No. 37924.

Calls upon States to harmonize, as a matter of priority, their national legislation with the provisions of the Convention and, where applicable, relevant agreements and instruments, to ensure the consistent application of those provisions and to ensure also that any declarations or statements that they have made or make when signing, ratifying or acceding to the Convention do not purport to exclude or to modify the legal effect of the provisions of the Convention in their application to the State concerned and to withdraw any such declarations or statements;

Calls upon States parties to the Convention to deposit with the Secretary-General charts or lists of geographical coordinates, as provided for in the Convention;

Urges all States to cooperate, directly or through competent international bodies, in taking measures to protect and preserve objects of an archaeological and historical nature found at sea, in conformity with the Convention, and calls upon States to work together on such diverse challenges and opportunities as the appropriate relationship between salvage law and scientific management and conservation of underwater cultural heritage, increasing technological abilities to discover and reach underwater sites, looting and growing underwater tourism;

Notes the effort made by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization with respect to the preservation of underwater cultural heritage, and notes in particular the rules annexed to the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage¹³ that address the relationship between salvage law and scientific principles of management, conservation and protection of underwater cultural heritage among parties, their nationals and vessels flying their flag;

¹³United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Records of the General Conference, Thirty-first Session, Paris, 15 October–3 November 2001, vol. 1 and corrigendum: Resolutions, resolution 24, annex.

II.Capacity-building

Calls upon donor agencies and international financial institutions to keep their programmes systematically under review to ensure the availability in all States, particularly in developing States, of the economic, legal, navigational, scientific and technical skills necessary for the full implementation of the Convention and the objectives of the present resolution, as well as the sustainable development of the oceans and seas nationally, regionally and globally, and in so doing to bear in mind the interests and needs of landlocked developing States;

Encourages intensified efforts to build capacity for developing countries, in particular for the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as coastal African States, to improve hydrographic services and the production of nautical charts, including electronic charts, as well as the mobilization of resources and building of capacity with support from international financial institutions and the donor community;

Calls upon States and international financial institutions, including through bilateral, regional and global cooperation programmes and technical partnerships, to continue to strengthen capacity-building activities, in particular in developing countries, in the field of marine scientific research by, inter alia, training personnel to develop and enhance relevant expertise, providing the necessary equipment, facilities and vessels and transferring environmentally sound technologies;

Recognizes the need to build the capacity of developing States to raise awareness of, and support implementation of, improved waste management practices, noting the particular vulnerability of small island developing States to the impact of marine pollution from land-based sources and marine debris;

Also recognizes the importance of assisting developing States, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as coastal African States, in implementing the Convention, and urges States, intergovernmental organizations and agencies, national institutions, non-governmental organizations and international financial institutions, as well as natural and juridical persons, to make voluntary financial or other contributions to the trust funds, as referred to in resolution 57/141, established for this purpose;

Encourages States to use the Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, adopted by the Assembly of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,¹⁴ and recalls the important role of the secretariat of the International Oceanographic Commission in the implementation and promotion of those Criteria and Guidelines;

¹⁴See Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, document IOC/INF-1203.

Also encourages States to assist developing States, and especially the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as coastal African States, at the bilateral and, where appropriate, multilateral level, in the preparation of submissions to the Commission regarding the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, including the assessment of the nature and extent of the continental shelf of a coastal State through a desktop study, and the delineation of the outer limits of its continental shelf;

Notes with appreciation the successful conduct by the Division of regional training courses, most recently in Accra from 5 to 9 December 2005 and in Buenos Aires from 8 to 12 May 2006, the purpose of which was to train technical staff of coastal developing States in the delineation of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles and in the preparation of submissions to the Commission, and requests the Secretary-General, in cooperation with States and relevant international organizations and institutions, to continue making such training courses available;

Also notes with appreciation the first regional workshop of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (“the Tribunal”), held in Dakar from 31 October to 2 November 2006 on the role of the Tribunal in the settlement of disputes relating to the law of the sea in West Africa;

Invites Member States and others in a position to do so to support the capacity-building activities of the Division, including, in particular, the training activities to assist developing States in the preparation of their submissions to the Commission, and invites Member States and others in a position to do so to contribute to the trust fund established by the Secretary-General for the Office of Legal Affairs of the Secretariat to support the promotion of international law;

Recognizes the importance of the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship on the Law of the Sea, advises the Secretary-General to continue to finance the Fellowship from resources made available through an appropriate Office of Legal Affairs trust fund, and urges Member States and others in a position to do so to contribute to the further development of the Fellowship;

Takes note with satisfaction of the ongoing implementation of the United Nations and the Nippon Foundation Fellowship Programme, focusing on human resources development for developing coastal States parties and non-parties to the Convention in the field of ocean affairs and the law of the sea or related disciplines;

III.Meeting of States Parties

Welcomes the report of the sixteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention;Error: Reference source not found

Requests the Secretary-General to convene the seventeenth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention in New York on 14 and from 18 to 22 June 2007, bearing in mind that the current term of office of the members of the Commission expires on 15 June 2007, and to provide the services required;

Calls upon States parties to transmit to the Secretariat the credentials of representatives attending the Meeting as far in advance as is practicable, and no later than 13 June 2007;

IV.Peaceful settlement of disputes

Notes with satisfaction the continued and significant contribution of the Tribunal to the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in accordance with Part XV of the Convention, and underlines the important role and authority of the Tribunal concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention and the Agreement;

Equally pays tribute to the important and long-standing role of the International Court of Justice with regard to the peaceful settlement of disputes concerning the law of the sea;

Notes that States parties to an international agreement related to the purposes of the Convention may submit to, inter alia, the Tribunal or the International Court of Justice any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of that agreement submitted in accordance with that agreement, and notes also the possibility, provided for in the statutes of the Tribunal and the Court, to submit disputes to a chamber;

Encourages States parties to the Convention that have not yet done so to consider making a written declaration choosing from the means set out in article 287 of the Convention for the settlement of disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention and the Agreement, bearing in mind the comprehensive character of the dispute settlement mechanism provided for in Part XV of the Convention;

V.The Area

Notes the progress of the discussions on issues relating to the regulations for prospecting and exploration for polymetallic sulphides and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the Area, and reiterates the importance of the ongoing elaboration by the Authority, pursuant to article 145 of the Convention, of rules, regulations and procedures to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment, the protection and conservation of the natural resources of the Area and the prevention of damage to its flora and fauna from harmful effects that may arise from activities in the Area;

Takes note with satisfaction of the contract signed on 19 July 2006 between Germany and the Authority regarding the exploration of polymetallic nodules in an area in the Pacific Ocean;

Notes the importance of the responsibilities entrusted to the Authority by articles 143 and 145 of the Convention, which refer to marine scientific research and protection of the marine environment respectively;

VI.Effective functioning of the Authority and the Tribunal

Appeals to all States parties to the Convention to pay their assessed contributions to the Authority and to the Tribunal in full and on time, and also appeals to States parties in arrears with their contributions to fulfil their obligations without delay;

Urges all States parties to the Convention to attend the sessions of the Authority, and calls upon the Authority to continue to pursue all options, including the issue of dates, in order to improve attendance in Kingston and to ensure global participation;

Calls upon States that have not done so to consider ratifying or acceding to the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the Tribunal¹⁵ and to the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the Authority;¹⁶

¹⁵SPLOS/25.

¹⁶ISBA/4/A/8, annex.

Emphasizes the importance of the Tribunal’s rules and staff regulations promoting the recruitment of a geographically representative staff in the Professional and higher categories, and calls for wider dissemination of vacancy announcements to achieve that goal;

VII.The continental shelf and the work of the Commission

Encourages States parties to the Convention that are in a position to do so to make every effort to submit information to the Commission regarding the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, in conformity with article 76 of the Convention and article 4 of annex II to the Convention, taking into account the decision of the eleventh Meeting of States Parties to the Convention;¹⁷

¹⁷SPLOS/72.

Notes with satisfaction the progress in the work of the Commission,¹⁸ that it is giving current consideration to five submissions that have been made regarding the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles and that a number of States have advised of their intention to make submissions in the near future;

¹⁸CLCS/50 and CLCS/52.

Notes that the anticipated heavy workload of the Commission, owing to an increasing number of submissions, places additional demands on its members and the Division, and in that regard emphasizes the need to ensure that the Commission can perform its functions effectively and maintain its high level of quality and expertise;

Emphasizes the need to maintain, to the extent possible given the term of office of the members of the Commission, continuity in the composition of subcommissions throughout the consideration of a submission;

Takes note of the decision of the sixteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention to address, as a matter of priority, issues related to the workload of the Commission and funding for its members attending the sessions of the Commission and the meetings of the subcommissions;¹⁹

¹⁹See SPLOS/144.

Calls upon States whose experts are serving on the Commission to do their utmost to ensure the full participation of those experts in the work of the Commission, including the meetings of subcommissions, in accordance with the Convention;

Endorses the call by the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention to strengthen the Division, serving as the secretariat of the Commission, for the purpose of enhancing its technical support for the Commission;

Urges the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary actions to ensure that the Commission can fulfil the functions entrusted to it under the Convention;

Encourages States to make additional contributions to the voluntary trust fund established by resolution 55/7 of 30 October 2000 for the purpose of facilitating the preparation of submissions to the Commission for developing States, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, and compliance with article 76 of the Convention;

Expresses its concern regarding the resources available in the voluntary trust fund established by resolution 55/7 for the purpose of defraying the cost of participation of the members of the Commission from developing States in the meetings of the Commission, and urges States to make additional contributions to the trust fund;

Approves the convening by the Secretary-General of the nineteenth and twentieth sessions of the Commission in New York from 5 March to 13 April 2007 and from 20 August to 7 September 2007, respectively, on the understanding that the following periods will be used for the technical examination of submissions at the Geographic Information System laboratories and other technical facilities of the Division: 5 to 23 March 2007; 9 to 13 April 2007; 20 to 24 August 2007; and 4 to 7 September 2007;

Expresses its firm conviction about the importance of the work of the Commission, carried out in accordance with the Convention, including with respect to the participation of the coastal State in relevant proceedings concerning its submission;

Notes with satisfaction the amendments to rule 52 of and annex III to the rules of procedure of the Commission,²⁰ and recognizes the continued need for active interaction between submitting States and the Commission;

²⁰See CLCS/50, paras. 36 and 43.

Encourages States to continue exchanging views in order to increase understanding of issues, including expenditures involved, arising from the application of article 76 of the Convention, thus facilitating preparation of submissions by States, in particular developing States, to the Commission;

Requests the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the Member States, to continue supporting and organizing workshops or symposiums on scientific and technical aspects of the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, taking into account the deadline for submissions, and welcomes initiatives of States in coordination with the United Nations, such as the international symposium held in Tokyo on 6 and 7 March 2006;

VIII.Maritime safety and security and flag State implementation

Encourages States to ratify or accede to international agreements addressing the safety and security of navigation and to adopt the necessary measures consistent with the Convention, aimed at implementing and enforcing the rules contained in those agreements;

Welcomes the adoption of the consolidated Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, by the International Labour Conference on 23 February 2006, and encourages States to become parties to that Convention;

Also welcomes the adoption and continuing review by the International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization of Guidelines on Fair Treatment of Seafarers in the Event of a Maritime Accident,²¹ and encourages States to implement the Guidelines;

²¹Adopted by the International Maritime Organization Legal Committee on 27 April 2006 as resolution LEG.3(91), and by the International Labour Organization Governing Body on 12 June 2006 at its 296th session.

Calls upon States to consider becoming members of the International Hydrographic Organization, and urges all States to work with that Organization to increase the coverage of hydrographic information on a global basis to enhance capacity-building and technical assistance and to promote safe navigation, especially in areas used for international navigation, ports and where there are vulnerable or protected marine areas;

Encourages States to draw up plans and to establish procedures to implement the Guidelines on Places of Refuge for Ships in Need of Assistance;²²

²²International Maritime Organization, Assembly resolution A.949(23).

Notes the progress in the implementation of the Action Plan for the Safety of Transport of Radioactive Material, approved by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency in March 2004,²³ and encourages States concerned to continue their efforts in the implementation of all areas of the Action Plan;

²³Available from www-ns.iaea.org.

Also notes that cessation of the transport of radioactive materials through the regions of small island developing States is an ultimate desired goal of small island developing States and some other countries, and recognizes the right of freedom of navigation in accordance with international law; that States should maintain dialogue and consultation, in particular under the aegis of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the International Maritime Organization, with the aim of improved mutual understanding, confidence-building and enhanced communication in relation to the safe maritime transport of radioactive materials; that States involved in the transport of such materials are urged to continue to engage in dialogue with small island developing States and other States to address their concerns; and that these concerns include the further development and strengthening, within the appropriate forums, of international regulatory regimes to enhance safety, disclosure, liability, security and compensation in relation to such transport;²⁴

²⁴Resolution 60/1, para. 56 (o).

Encourages States to cooperate to address threats to maritime safety and security, including piracy, armed robbery at sea, smuggling and terrorist acts against shipping, offshore installations and other maritime interests, through bilateral and multilateral instruments and mechanisms aimed at monitoring, preventing and responding to such threats;

Urges all States, in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization, to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea by adopting measures, including those relating to assistance with capacity-building through training of seafarers, port staff and enforcement personnel in the prevention, reporting and investigation of incidents, bringing the alleged perpetrators to justice, in accordance with international law, and by adopting national legislation, as well as providing enforcement vessels and equipment and guarding against fraudulent ship registration;

Calls upon States to become parties to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf,²⁵ invites States to consider becoming parties to the 2005 Protocols amending those instruments,²⁶ and also urges States parties to take appropriate measures to ensure the effective implementation of those instruments, through the adoption of legislation, where appropriate;

²⁵United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1678, No. 29004.

²⁶International Maritime Organization, documents LEG/CONF.15/21 and LEG/CONF.15/22.

Also calls upon States to effectively implement the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code and related amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea,²⁷ and to work with the International Maritime Organization to promote safe and secure shipping while ensuring freedom of navigation;

²⁷International Maritime Organization, documents SOLAS/CONF.5/32 and 34.

Takes note of the adoption by the International Maritime Organization of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea introducing the long-range identification and tracking of ships system;²⁸

²⁸International Maritime Organization, document MSC 81/25/Add.1, annex 2, resolution MSC.202(81).

Notes the work of the International Maritime Organization with regard to the preparation of the wreck removal convention for the prompt and effective removal of wrecks which may pose a hazard to navigation or the marine environment;

Requests States to take appropriate measures with regard to ships flying their flag or of their registry to address hazards that may be caused by wrecks and drifting or sunken cargo to navigation or the marine environment;

Urges all States, in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization, to improve the protection of offshore installations by adopting measures related to the prevention, reporting and investigation of acts of violence against installations, in accordance with international law, and by implementing such measures through national legislation to ensure proper and adequate enforcement;

Calls upon States to ensure freedom of navigation and the rights of transit passage and innocent passage in accordance with international law, in particular the Convention;

Welcomes the work of the International Maritime Organization relating to the protection of shipping lanes of strategic importance and significance, and in particular in enhancing safety, security and environmental protection in straits used for international navigation, and calls upon the International Maritime Organization, States bordering straits and user States to continue their cooperation efforts to keep such straits safe and open to international navigation at all times, consistent with international law, in particular the Convention;

Calls upon user States and States bordering straits for international navigation to cooperate by agreement on matters relating to navigational safety, including safety aids for navigation, and the prevention, reduction and control of pollution from ships;

Welcomes the progress in regional cooperation, including the Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur Statements on Enhancement of Safety, Security and Environmental Protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, adopted on 8 September 2005²⁹ and 20 September 2006,³⁰ respectively, the progress made in establishing a cooperative mechanism on safety of navigation and environmental protection to promote dialogue and facilitate close cooperation between the littoral States, user States, shipping industry and other stakeholders and in implementing the Marine Electronic Highway Demonstration Project for the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, and the entry into force of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia on 4 September 2006, by which the Information Sharing Centre was launched and established in Singapore in November 2006, and calls upon States to give immediate attention to adopting, concluding and implementing cooperation agreements at the regional level;

²⁹A/60/529, annex II.

³⁰A/61/584, annex.

Calls upon States that have not yet done so to become parties to the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime³¹ and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime,³² and to take appropriate measures to ensure their effective implementation;

³¹Resolution 55/25, annex III.

³²Ibid., annex II.

Calls upon States to ensure that masters on ships flying their flag take the steps required by relevant instruments³³ to provide assistance to persons in distress at sea, and urges States to cooperate and to take all necessary measures to ensure the effective implementation of the amendments to the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue³⁴ and to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea³⁵ relating to the delivery of persons rescued at sea to a place of safety, as well as of the associated Guidelines on the Treatment of Persons Rescued at Sea;³⁶

³³The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, as amended, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, and the International Convention on Salvage, 1989.

³⁴International Maritime Organization, document MSC/78/26/Add.1, annex 5, resolution MSC.155(78).

³⁵Ibid., annex 3, resolution MSC.153(78).

³⁶Ibid., annex 34, resolution MSC.167(78).

Urges flag States without an effective maritime administration and appropriate legal frameworks to establish or enhance the necessary infrastructure, legislative and enforcement capabilities to ensure effective compliance with, and implementation and enforcement of, their responsibilities under international law and, until such action is taken, to consider declining the granting of the right to fly their flag to new vessels, suspending their registry or not opening a registry, and calls upon flag and port States to take all measures consistent with international law necessary to prevent the operation of substandard vessels;

Welcomes the adoption by the International Maritime Organization of the resolutions on the establishment of the Voluntary International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme,³⁷ the Code for the implementation of mandatory International Maritime Organization instruments³⁸ and the future development of the Voluntary Audit Scheme,³⁹ and encourages all flag States to volunteer to be audited;

³⁷International Maritime Organization, Assembly resolution A.974(24).

³⁸International Maritime Organization, Assembly resolution A.973(24).

³⁹International Maritime Organization, Assembly resolution A.975(24).

Takes note of the report of the Ad Hoc Consultative Meeting of senior representatives of international organizations on the “genuine link” held by the International Maritime Organization in July 2005 in response to the invitation extended to the Organization and other relevant competent international organizations in resolutions 58/14 of 24 November 2003 and 58/240 to examine and clarify the role of the “genuine link” in relation to the duty of flag States to exercise effective control over ships flying their flag, including fishing vessels, and the potential consequences of non-compliance with duties and obligations of flag States described in relevant international instruments;⁴⁰

⁴⁰See A/61/160, annex.

IX.Marine environment and marine resources

Emphasizes once again the importance of the implementation of Part XII of the Convention in order to protect and preserve the marine environment and its living marine resources against pollution and physical degradation, and calls upon all States to cooperate and take measures consistent with the Convention, directly or through competent international organizations, for the protection and preservation of the marine environment;

Encourages States to ratify or accede to international agreements addressing the protection and preservation of the marine environment and its living marine resources against the introduction of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens and marine pollution from all sources, and other forms of physical degradation, as well as agreements that provide for compensation for damage resulting from marine pollution, and to adopt the necessary measures consistent with the Convention aimed at implementing and enforcing the rules contained in those agreements;

Welcomes the entry into force on 24 March 2006 of the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972,⁴¹ and on 14 June 2007 of the Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Cooperation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances, 2000,⁴² and encourages States that have not done so to become parties to those Protocols;

⁴¹IMO/LC.2/Circ.380.

⁴²HNS-OPRC/CONF/11/Rev.1, attachment 1.

Encourages States, in accordance with the Convention and other relevant instruments, either bilaterally or regionally, to jointly develop and promote contingency plans for responding to pollution incidents, as well as other incidents that are likely to have significant adverse effects on the marine environment and biodiversity;

Welcomes the activities of the United Nations Environment Programme relating to marine debris carried out in cooperation with relevant United Nations bodies and organizations, and encourages States to further develop partnerships with industry and civil society to raise awareness of the extent of the impact of marine debris on the health and productivity of the marine environment and consequent economic loss;

Urges States to integrate the issue of marine debris into national strategies dealing with waste management in the coastal zone, ports and maritime industries, including recycling, reuse, reduction and disposal, and to encourage the development of appropriate economic incentives to address this issue, including the development of cost recovery systems that provide an incentive to use port reception facilities and discourage ships from discharging marine debris at sea, and encourages States to cooperate regionally and subregionally to develop and implement joint prevention and recovery programmes for marine debris;

Welcomes the decision of the International Maritime Organization to review annex V to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto,⁴³ to assess its effectiveness in addressing sea-based sources of marine debris, and encourages all relevant organizations and bodies to assist in that process;

⁴³United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1340, No. 22484.

Encourages States that have not done so to become parties to the Protocol of 1997 (Annex VI-Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, and furthermore to ratify or accede to the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, 2001,⁴⁴ as well as the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004,⁴⁵ thereby facilitating their early entry into force;

⁴⁴International Maritime Organization, document AFS/CONF/26, annex.

⁴⁵International Maritime Organization, document BWM/CONF/36, annex.

Notes the ongoing work of the International Maritime Organization in accordance with its resolution on International Maritime Organization policies and practices related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships⁴⁶ and the work plan to identify and develop the mechanisms needed to achieve the limitation or reduction of CO2 emissions from international shipping agreed by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization at its fifty-fifth session from 9 to 13 October 2006,⁴⁷ and welcomes ongoing efforts of that Organization in that regard;

⁴⁶International Maritime Organization, Assembly resolution A.963(23).

⁴⁷International Maritime Organization, document MEPC 55/23, annex 9.

Notes with appreciation the efforts of the International Maritime Organization in developing and approving an action plan to address the inadequacy of port waste reception facilities, and urges States to cooperate in correcting the shortfall in such facilities in accordance with the action plan;

Welcomes the outcomes of the Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, convened in Beijing from 16 to 20 October 2006, and calls upon States to take all appropriate measures to fulfil the commitments of the international community embodied in the Beijing Declaration on Furthering the Implementation of the Global Programme of Action;

Also welcomes the continued work of States, the United Nations Environment Programme and regional organizations in the implementation of the Global Programme of Action, and encourages increased emphasis on the link between freshwater, the coastal zone and marine resources in the implementation of international development goals, including those contained in the United Nations Millennium DeclarationError: Reference source not found and of the time-bound targets in the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (“Johannesburg Plan of Implementation”),⁴⁸ in particular the target on sanitation, and the Monterrey Consensus of the International Conference on Financing for Development;⁴⁹

⁴⁸Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August–4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.03.II.A.1 and corrigendum), chap. I, resolution 2, annex.

⁴⁹Report of the International Conference on Financing for Development, Monterrey, Mexico, 18–22 March 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.II.A.7), chap. I, resolution 1, annex.

Invites States, in particular those States with advanced technology and marine capabilities, to explore prospects for improving cooperation with, and assistance to, developing States, in particular least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as coastal African States, with a view to better integrating into national policies and programmes sustainable and effective development in the marine sector;

Encourages the competent international organizations, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank and other funding agencies to consider expanding their programmes within their respective fields of competence for assistance to developing countries and to coordinate their efforts, including in the allocation and application of Global Environment Facility funding;

Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a study, in cooperation with and based on information provided by States and competent international organizations and global and regional funding agencies, on the assistance available to and measures that may be taken by developing States, in particular the least developed States and small island developing States, as well as coastal African States, to realize the benefits of sustainable and effective development of marine resources and uses of the oceans within the limits of national jurisdiction, and further requests the Secretary-General to present the study to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session and to report to the Assembly at its sixty-second session on progress in the preparation of the study;

X.Marine biodiversity

Reaffirms its role relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction, notes the work of States and relevant complementary intergovernmental organizations and bodies on those issues, including the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and invites them to contribute to its consideration of these issues within the areas of their respective competence;

Welcomes the meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group, established by paragraph 73 of resolution 59/24 to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction, held in New York from 13 to 17 February 2006, and takes note of the possible options, approaches and timely follow-up process discussed by the Working Group;Error: Reference source not found

Takes note of the report of the Working Group,Error: Reference source not found and requests the Secretary-General to convene, in accordance with paragraph 73 of resolution 59/24, and with full conference services, a meeting of the Working Group in 2008, to consider:

The environmental impacts of anthropogenic activities on marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction;

Coordination and cooperation among States as well as relevant intergovernmental organizations and bodies for the conservation and management of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction;

The role of area-based management tools;

Genetic resources beyond areas of national jurisdiction;

Whether there is a governance or regulatory gap, and if so, how it should be addressed;

Requests the Secretary-General to report on the issues referred to in paragraph 91 above in the context of his report on oceans and the law of the sea to the General Assembly at its sixty-second session, in order to assist the Working Group in preparing its agenda, in consultation with all relevant international bodies, and to arrange for support for the performance of its work to be provided by the Division;

Encourages States to include relevant experts in their delegations attending the meeting of the Working Group;

Recognizes the importance of making the outcomes of the Working Group widely available;

Notes the work under the Jakarta Mandate on Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity⁵⁰ and the Convention on Biological Diversity elaborated programme of work on marine and coastal biological diversity,⁵¹ as well as the relevant decisions adopted at the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Curitiba, Brazil, from 20 to 31 March 2006;⁵²

⁵⁰See A/51/312, annex II, decision II/10.

⁵¹UNEP/CBD/COP/7/21, annex, decision VII/5, annex I.

⁵²UNEP/CBD/COP/8/31, annex I.

Reaffirms the need for States and competent international organizations to urgently consider ways to integrate and improve, based on the best available scientific information and in accordance with the Convention and related agreements and instruments, the management of risks to the marine biodiversity of seamounts, cold water corals, hydrothermal vents and certain other underwater features;

Also reaffirms the need for States to continue their efforts to develop and facilitate the use of diverse approaches and tools for conserving and managing vulnerable marine ecosystems, including the possible establishment of marine protected areas, consistent with international law and based on the best scientific information available, and the development of representative networks of any such marine protected areas by 2012;

Notes the work of States, relevant intergovernmental organizations and bodies, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, in the assessment of scientific information on, and compilation of ecological criteria for the identification of, marine areas that require protection, in light of the objective of the World Summit on Sustainable Development to develop and facilitate the use of diverse approaches and tools such as the establishment of marine protected areas consistent with international law and based on scientific information, including representative networks by 2012;9

Also notes the report of the Scientific Experts’ Workshop on Criteria for Identifying Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, held in Ottawa from 6 to 8 December 2005,⁵³ and encourages experts to participate in follow-up workshops;

⁵³A/AC.259/16, annex.

100

Further notes the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment synthesis reports and the urgent need to protect the marine biodiversity expressed therein;

101

Calls upon States and international organizations to urgently take action to address, in accordance with international law, destructive practices that have adverse impacts on marine biodiversity and ecosystems, including seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold water corals;

102

Reiterates its support for the International Coral Reef Initiative, takes note of the International Coral Reef Initiative General Meetings, held in Koror from 31 October to 2 November 2005, and in Cozumel, Mexico, on 22 and 23 October 2006, supports the work under the Jakarta Mandate on Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity and the elaborated programme of work on marine and coastal biological diversity related to coral reefs, and notes the progress that the International Coral Reef Initiative and other relevant bodies have made to incorporate cold water coral ecosystems into their programmes and activities and to promote the conservation and sustainable use of all coral reef resources;

103

Expresses its concern that coral bleaching has become more frequent and severe throughout tropical seas over the last two decades, and highlights the need for improved monitoring to predict and identify bleaching events to support and strengthen action during such events and improve strategies to support the natural resilience of reefs;

104

Welcomes the publication of the Status of Coral Reefs in Tsunami Affected Countries: 2005 by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network;

105

Encourages States to cooperate, directly or through competent international bodies, in exchanging information in the event of accidents involving vessels on coral reefs and in promoting the development of economic assessment techniques for both restoration and non-use values of coral reef systems;

106

Emphasizes the need to mainstream sustainable coral reef management and integrated watershed management into national development strategies, as well as into the activities of relevant United Nations agencies and programmes, international financial institutions and the donor community;

107

Encourages further studies and consideration of the impacts of ocean noise on marine living resources, and requests the Division to compile the peer-reviewed scientific studies it receives from Member States and to make them available on its website;

XI.Marine science

108

Calls upon States, individually or in collaboration with each other or with relevant international organizations and bodies, to improve understanding and knowledge of the oceans and the deep sea, including, in particular, the extent and vulnerability of deep sea biodiversity and ecosystems, by increasing their marine scientific research activities in accordance with the Convention;

109

Notes the contribution of the Census of Marine Life to marine biodiversity research, and encourages participation in the initiative;

110

Takes note with appreciation of the work of the Advisory Body of Experts on the Law of the Sea of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission on the development of procedures for the implementation of Parts XIII and XIV of the Convention and on the development of a consensual text on the legal framework for the collection of oceanographic data within the context of the Convention;

111

Stresses the importance of increasing the scientific understanding of the oceans/atmosphere interface, including through participation in ocean observing programmes and geographic information systems, such as the Global Ocean Observing System, a programme of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, particularly considering their role in monitoring climate variability and in the establishment of tsunami warning systems;

112

Recognizes the significant progress made by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and Member States towards the establishment of regional tsunami warning and mitigation systems, welcomes the continued collaboration of the World Meteorological Organization and other United Nations and intergovernmental organizations in this effort, and encourages Member States to establish and sustain their national warning and mitigation systems, within a global, ocean-related multi-hazard approach, as necessary, to reduce loss of life and damage to national economies and strengthen the resilience of coastal communities to natural disasters;

XII.Regular process for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects

113

Recalls that the Ad Hoc Steering Group was established by resolution 60/30;

114

Takes note of the report of the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Steering Group for the “assessment of assessments” launched as a preparatory stage towards the establishment of the regular process for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects, held in New York from 7 to 9 June 2006,⁵⁴ and urges Member States from the African and Asian regional groups to propose the remaining representatives to the Chairmen of their regional groups so that the appointment to the Ad Hoc Steering Group of those representatives can be made by the President of the General Assembly without further delay;

⁵⁴United Nations Environment Programme, document A/61/GRAME/AHSG/1.

115

Urges the Ad Hoc Steering Group to complete the “assessment of assessments” within two years, as provided for in resolution 60/30;

116

Welcomes with appreciation the support of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission for the “assessment of assessments” in providing secretariat services to the Ad Hoc Steering Group and establishing the group of experts, as approved by the Ad Hoc Steering Group;

117

Invites Member States, the Global Environment Facility and other interested parties to contribute financially to the “assessment of assessments”, taking into account the workplan and budget approved by the Ad Hoc Steering Group, in order to complete the “assessment of assessments” within the specified period;

XIII.Regional cooperation

118

Notes that there have been a number of initiatives at the regional level, in various regions, to further the implementation of the Convention, takes note in that context of the Caribbean-focused Assistance Fund, which is intended to facilitate, mainly through technical assistance, the voluntary undertaking of maritime delimitation negotiations between Caribbean States, takes note once again of the Fund for Peace: Peaceful Settlement of Territorial Disputes, established by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States in 2000 as a primary mechanism, given its broader regional scope, for the prevention and resolution of pending territorial, land border and maritime boundary disputes, and calls upon States and others in a position to do so to contribute to these funds;

XIV.Open-ended informal consultative process on oceans and the law of the sea

119

Welcomes the report on the work of the Consultative Process at its seventh meeting,Error: Reference source not found and invites States to consider the agreed consensual elements relating to ecosystem approaches and oceans, as suggested by the Consultative Process, as set out in part A of the report, in particular the proposed elements of an ecosystem approach, means to achieve implementation of an ecosystem approach and requirements for improved application of an ecosystem approach and also:

Notes that continued environmental degradation in many parts of the world and increasing competing demands require an urgent response and the setting of priorities for management interventions aimed at conserving ecosystem integrity;

Notes that ecosystem approaches to ocean management should be focused on managing human activities in order to maintain and, where needed, restore ecosystem health to sustain goods and environmental services, provide social and economic benefits for food security, sustain livelihoods in support of international development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration, and conserve marine biodiversity;

Recalls that States should be guided in the application of ecosystem approaches by a number of existing instruments, in particular the Convention, which sets out the legal framework for all activities in the oceans and seas, and its implementing Agreements, as well as other commitments, such as those contained in the Convention on Biological Diversity and the World Summit on Sustainable Development call for the application of an ecosystem approach by 2010;

Encourages States to cooperate and coordinate their efforts and take, individually or jointly, as appropriate, all measures, in conformity with international law, including the Convention and other applicable instruments, to address impacts on marine ecosystems in areas within and beyond national jurisdiction, taking into account the integrity of the ecosystems concerned;

120

Requests the Secretary-General to convene the eighth meeting of the Consultative Process, in New York, from 25 to 29 June 2007, to provide it with the necessary facilities for the performance of its work and to arrange for support to be provided by the Division, in cooperation with other relevant parts of the Secretariat, as appropriate;

121

Recalls the need to strengthen and improve the efficiency of the Consultative Process, and encourages States, intergovernmental organizations and programmes to provide guidance to the co-chairpersons to this effect, particularly before and during the preparatory meeting for the Consultative Process;

122

Expresses its concern regarding the insufficient resources available in the voluntary trust fund established by resolution 55/7 for the purpose of assisting developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing States, in attending the meetings of the Consultative Process by covering the costs of travel and daily subsistence allowance, and urges States to make additional contributions to the trust fund;

123

Decides that, in its deliberations on the report of the Secretary-General on oceans and the law of the sea at its forthcoming meetings in 2007 and 2008, the Consultative Process will focus its discussions on the topics “Marine genetic resources” in 2007 and “Maritime security and safety” in 2008;

XV.Coordination and cooperation

124

Encourages States to work closely with and through international organizations, funds and programmes, as well as the specialized agencies of the United Nations system and relevant international conventions, to identify emerging areas of focus for improved coordination and cooperation and how best to address these issues;

125

Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of heads of intergovernmental organizations, the specialized agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations engaged in activities relating to ocean affairs and the law of the sea, as well as funding institutions, and underlines the importance of their constructive and timely input for the report of the Secretary-General on oceans and the law of the sea and of their participation in relevant meetings and processes;

126

Welcomes the work done by the secretariats of relevant United Nations specialized agencies, programmes, funds and bodies and the secretariats of related organizations and conventions to enhance inter-agency coordination and cooperation on ocean issues, including through UN-Oceans, the inter-agency coordination mechanism on ocean and coastal issues within the United Nations system;

127

Encourages continued updates to Member States by UN-Oceans regarding its priorities and initiatives, in particular with respect to the proposed participation in UN-Oceans;

XVI.Activities of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea

128

Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the annual comprehensive report on oceans and the law of the sea, prepared by the Division, as well as for the other activities of the Division, which reflect the high standard of assistance provided to Member States by the Division;

129

Requests the Secretary-General to continue to carry out the responsibilities and functions entrusted to him in the Convention and by the related resolutions of the General Assembly, including resolutions 49/28 and 52/26, and to ensure the allocation of appropriate resources to the Division for the performance of its activities under the approved budget for the Organization;

XVII.Sixty-second session of the General Assembly

130

Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a comprehensive report, in its current comprehensive format and in accordance with established practice, for the consideration of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session, on developments and issues relating to ocean affairs and the law of the sea, including the implementation of the present resolution, in accordance with resolutions 49/28, 52/26 and 54/33, and to make the report available at least six weeks in advance of the meeting of the Consultative Process;

131

Emphasizes the critical role of the annual comprehensive report of the Secretary-General, which integrates information on developments relating to the implementation of the Convention and the work of the Organization, its specialized agencies and other institutions in the field of ocean affairs and the law of the sea at the global and regional levels, and as a result constitutes the basis for the annual consideration and review of developments relating to ocean affairs and the law of the sea by the General Assembly as the global institution having the competence to undertake such a review;

132

Notes that the report referred to in paragraph 130 above will also be presented to States parties pursuant to article 319 of the Convention regarding issues of a general nature that have arisen with respect to the Convention;

133

Also notes the desire to further improve the efficiency of, and effective participation of delegations in, the informal consultations concerning the annual General Assembly resolution on oceans and the law of the sea and the resolution on sustainable fisheries, and decides to limit the period of the informal consultations on both resolutions to a maximum of four weeks in total and to ensure that the consultations are scheduled in such a way as to avoid overlap with the period during which the Sixth Committee is meeting and that the Division has sufficient time to produce the report referred to in paragraph 130 above;

134

Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-second session the item entitled “Oceans and the law of the sea”.