Episode 2 goes from the negotiation room into the text of the treaty – to unpick what access and benefit sharing of Marine Genetic Resources really means. We explore what the treaty means in practice for scientists and commercial end users, what the provisions hold for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and the relevance for future generations.

Guests

Thomas Vanagt holds a PhD in Science from the University of Ghent and is the founder of ABSint, now part of 3BIO, a multidisciplinary company specialising in the valorisation of biotechnology R&D. With over two decades of experience at the interface of marine science, policy, and innovation, he has advised multinational companies as well as leading research institutes such as KU Leuven and VIB. Vanagt provides high-level policy guidance to the European Commission (DG ENV, DG MARE) and to several States and regional groups in the United Nations negotiations on BBNJ. His work focuses on access and benefit-sharing, marine genetic resources, and enabling practical pathways for equitable and sustainable research.”
Angelique Pouponneau is a Seychellois lawyer and ocean advocate who serves as Lead Negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States on ocean issues. She has been engaged in the BBNJ negotiations since 2018, representing both Seychelles and AOSIS. With a PhD and LLM in Environmental Law and more than a decade of experience as a practitioner across small island developing States in the Caribbean, Pacific, and Indian Ocean, she brings deep expertise in ocean governance and climate action. Previously, Angelique served as CEO of the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust and as Chief of Staff to the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Team.
Elisa Morgera is Professor of International Law and Sustainability at the University of Durham, UK and Professor of International and EU Environmental Law at the University of Eastern Finland. She is the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change and Human Rights. 
Zakieh Taghizadeh is a legal scholar specializing in international environmental law, ocean governance, intellectual property, and human rights. She actively participated in the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) PrepCom negotiations that led to the adoption of the BBNJ Agreement. Her direct involvement in the BBNJ process as a legal researcher and practitioner, has shaped her research on the conservation of marine genetic resources, asymmetries in intergenerational and intra-generational equity, law of the sea and intellectual property treaty-making processes, and the normative evolution of global environmental governance.

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 readingHumphries, F. (ed.) (2025). Decoding Marine Genetic Resource Governance under the BBNJ Agreement (Springer) Chapter 5 (BBNJ Notification System)

Chapter 6 (Monetary & Non-monetary benefits)

Chapter 7 (Monitoring & Transparency)

Chapter 8 (TK)

Chapter 14 (Scientists & Commercial End Users)

Chapter 15 (Equity)

BBNJ Agreement & Official Website

Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme, Grant Agreement No. 101082304 (BlueRemediomics). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority, the Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.