Episode 4 covers practical considerations how to implement Part II of the BBNJ Agreement. Experts share experiences from ratification processes in their countries, considerations in relation to Intellectual Property Rights for the transfer of Marine Technology, current discussions around the standardised batch identifier, ideas how to enhance interoperability of databases, and the role of the BBNJ Committees to deal with issues of Access and Benefit Sharing, as well as Capacity Building and the Transfer of Marine Technology.

Guests

Fran Humphries, Associate Professor at Griffith University, Australia, specialises in biodiversity law, law of the sea and intellectual property. She has led large projects on governance of genetic resources, digital sequence information and associated traditional knowledge for governments, NGOs and UN organisations. She was on the International Council of Environmental Law delegation during the BBNJ negotiations. She recently led an open access practical guide and commentary on the BBNJ Agreement's MGR obligations.

Abbe Brown is Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the University of Aberdeen, specializing in IP’s intersection with other legal fields to address societal challenges. She served as BILETA Chair (2021–2024) and NERC Senior Expert (2021–2023), and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2025). With nearly 10 years in legal practice (London, Melbourne, Edinburgh), Abbe maintains strong professional and industry ties. She contributes to BBNJ negotiations with Chemistry colleagues and the IUCN, co-developed Song of the Ocean, and led intergenerational public engagement events (e.g., Tall Ships Aberdeen, 2025). Abbe has participated in UNFCCC COP26, the WIPO Diplomatic Conference on Genetic Resources (2024), and serves on the UN Regular Process Expert Pool for the World Ocean Assessment and the WMU MGR Scientific Advisory Committee.
Lowri Mai Griffiths is a senior legal and policy leader with over 20 years’ experience shaping the UK’s international approach to ocean governance. As Head of the Ocean Policy Unit at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, she led the UK’s implementation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and served as Head of Delegation for the negotiation of the BBNJ Agreement. Lowri works at the intersection of law, science, policy and international cooperation, with a long‑standing commitment to evidence‑based policymaking and sustainable ocean governance.
Richard Tur de la Concepcion serves as a Cuban delegate to the BBNJ process. Among his notable achievements is his role as coordinator of the Group of 77 and China in the Fifth Committee during 2023, under Cuba’s presidency of the Group. During that period, he was recognized for his leadership and initiatives aimed at enhancing the efficiency and impact of the United Nations.

Co-production

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

See Chapters 9, 10, 12, and 13 in Humphries, F. (ed.) (2025), Decoding Marine Genetic Resource Governance under the BBNJ Agreement (Springer)

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.