About

This 4-part podcast mini-series explores the governance of marine genetic resources (MGRs) under the BBNJ Agreement, moving beyond implementation challenges to unpack the treaty’s provisions for areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). Drawing on insights from legal experts, scientists, treaty negotiators, Indigenous knowledge holders, policymakers, and commercial users, the series highlights diverse perspectives on equity, data governance, intellectual property, and institutional design.

Episode 1 introduces how MGRs became a central and contested issue in the BBNJ negotiations. It explains the key political compromises on access and benefit-sharing, and why these provisions are pivotal for implementation.

Guests

Luciana Fernandes Coelho, international consultant inlaw of the sea and ocean governance & Visiting Fellow of the Ocean Voices Programme, University of Edinburgh, UK. She holds a PhD in Maritime Affairs from the World Maritime University. She has experience as a Research Fellow at the Stockholm Environmental Institute, Coordinator for the DOALOS/Norad Programmes of Assistance, advocacy analyst for Oceana, Brazil, and as legal adviser for DOSI and the Brazilian delegations in the BBNJ negotiations.

Daniel Kachelriess, expert on oceans, fisheries, wildlife law and policy and followed the negotiations of the BBNJ Agreement as part of the High Seas Alliance and as a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law. He serves as High Seas Alliance cross-cutting coordinator. His previous roles include Executive Director of a non-profit law firm, and the Marine Species Officer of the CITES Secretariat.

Konrad Marciniak, Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. He represented Poland in numerous international fora and was closely involved in all stages of the negotiations of the BBNJ Agreement, serving as Head of the Polish delegation, member of the EU negotiating team on marine genetic resources, and member of the IGC Bureau. He holds a PhD on the legal status of marine genetic resources.

Joan Yang has been working on UN and Multilateral oceans issues since 2006 - which has included following the BBNJ process in all its iterations since 2006 and through the IGC she served as the PSIDS coordinator on cross-cutting issues. Joan was also part of the Pacific team which secured the SDG on the Ocean as well as the KMGBF, including target 3. She is currently an advisor to the Vanuatu Mission in the UN who is the PSIDS coordinator on the Clearinghouse Mechanism.

Tamara Thomas, Executive Director of Ocean Ties with 15+ years’ experience in international ocean governance, including the CBD, UN climate processes, BBNJ, and seabed mining. She has held senior roles at Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy and advised the Chair of the UN BBNJ Preparatory Committee. She supports national and international policy on marine nature-based solutions and innovative finance, holds a master’s in environmental management from Yale, and currently serves as Ocean and Ocean Climate Advisor to the Republic of Seychelles and co-leads finance, ABMT, and EIA discussions within the African Group under BBNJ.

Co-producers:

• Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ANCORS
• Jennifer Macey - Journalist & PhD Candidate, University of Wollongong

• Fran Humphries - Associate Professor in Environmental Law, Griffith University Law School
• Amelia Westmoreland - Scientific Researcher for 3Bio & Engagement Strategist
• Marcel Jaspars - Professor of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen
• Abbe Brown - Professor in Intellectual Property Law, University of Aberdeen

Editing:

• Bettina Otterbeck - Freelance Video Editor

Communications:

• Sunnefa Yeatman - PhD Candidate, ANCORS

Further reading

Humphries, F. (2025). Decoding Marine Genetic Resource Governance Under the BBNJ Agreement (1st ed. 2025.). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4

BBNJ Agreement Text & Official BBNJ Website