Governance in ABNJ in the Atlantic – progress in key processes and relevance for iAtlantic

One of the key aims of iAtlantic is to facilitate the uptake of new scientific knowledge in critical policy development and ocean governance processes. To this end iAtlantic assesses ocean governance frameworks applicable to the management of human activities affecting Atlantic marine ecosystems under conditions of change with the aim to identify opportunities for improving management approaches. This presentation will present the current status of three ongoing major ocean governance processes with relevance for iAtlantic: 1) the negotiation of legally-binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ); 2) the development of a Regional Environmental Management Plan (REMP) for the Atlantic in respect to deep sea mining; 3) further designating Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) in EU waters and on the high seas of the Atlantic and restricting access for deep-sea fisheries. All three policy processes take place largely siloed under different sectoral legal and institutional frameworks, but with potentially strong implications for each other. To facilitate the sustainable management of Atlantic ecosystems and resources the development of ecosystem-based management approaches is needed. Knowledge-based outputs from iAtlantic have a strong potential to inform discussions and policy development under all three processes.