Episode 3 – Small Island States

Series on Stakeholders in BBNJ

PART 1 : Small Island States

Small Island States may be small when it comes to land – but are often big ocean states.

They are particularly vulnerable, as they depend on the ocean for their livelihoods and are among the most affected by climate change.

In the negotiations, they often form negotiating blocs to speak in one voice. Outcomes of negotiations for the new Ocean Treaty affect us all – but the direct impact of the treaty is especially felt in the case of Small Island States.

• What are challenges for Small Island States in the negotiations and implementation of the treaty?

• How will be ensured that they can shape new High Seas institutions in the long-term?

• And will the new ocean treaty shift power imbalances in ocean governance?

In this episode we hear from Angelique Pouponneau, the lead negotiator of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) what ocean equity means for Small Island States.

Guest: Angelique Pouponneau

Hosts: Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki and Jennifer Macey

Sound design and editing: ⁠Emily Perkins⁠

Communication: Sunnefa Yeatman

For comments & feedback please contact: [email protected]

Find out more:

ANCORS Ocean Equity page https://oceanequityresearch.org/

ANCORS at the University of Wollongong https://www.uow.edu.au/ancors/

You can find official documents in preparation for the First Preparatory Commission Meeting on the United Nations Website: https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en/meetings/preparatory-commission/documents/first-session

Website of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS): https://www.aosis.org/

Research on the BBNJ process by ANCORS researchers:

Lothian, S. (2023). The BBNJ preamble: More than justwindow dressing. Marine Policy, 153, 105642-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2023.105642

Lothian, S. L. (2022). Marine conservation and international law: legal instruments for biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Tessnow-von Wysocki, I., & Vadrot, A. B. M. (2024).Pathways of scientific input into intergovernmental negotiations: a new agreement on marine biodiversity. International Environmental Agreements : Politics, Law and Economics, 24(2–3),325–348. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10784-024-09642-0

Tessnow-von Wysocki, I. (2023). Science-policy interfaces for ocean protection: The case of the international negotiations for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). Doctoral Thesis. https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/detail/o:1978693

Tessnow-von Wysocki, I., & Vadrot, A. B. M. (2022).Governing a Divided Ocean: The Transformative Power of Ecological Connectivity in the BBNJ Negotiations. Politics and Governance, 10(3), 14–28. https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v10i3.5428

Tessnow-von Wysocki, I., & Vadrot, A. B. M. (2020).The Voice of Science on Marine Biodiversity Negotiations: A Systematic Literature Review. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.614282