As part of the ODA Ocean Knowledge Series, join us for an online lunchtime briefing to learn from international experts in global ocean governance.

Covering 70% of the Earth’s surface, the issues that confront the ocean are global. With close to two-thirds of the world’s ocean area lying beyond the national jurisdiction of individual states, governing the vast ocean ‘commons’ requires unprecedented international cooperation and coordination across a complex and rapidly-evolving policy environment.

The last four years have brought tidal shifts in multilateral agreements and coordination on managing the growing threats to ocean health and biodiversity. In the last 18 months, landmark agreements have been adopted after decades of negotiations including the Global Biodiversity Framework, the High Seas Treaty, and negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty are underway.

In this briefing session, we will hear from leading experts in international ocean governance, including Nichola Clark (The Pew Charitable Trusts) on the UN Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ or the "High Seas Biodiversity Treaty"), Professor Donald Rothwell (Australian National University) on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and Dr Tony Worby (Minderoo Foundation) on his recent attendance at negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty in Canada in April.

Ocean Decade Australia Director, Dr. Lucy Buxton, will also provide an update on key insights and outcomes from the recent UN Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona.

Please join us for this opportunity to learn together #fortheOcean

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Speakers:

Nichola Clark | Senior Officer, Ocean Governance, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Nichola Clark leads the Pew Charitable Trust's work related to the United Nations treaty on marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) as part of Pew’s campaign to address gaps in ocean governance through meaningful international cooperation. Clark serves as a strategic and technical expert on the BBNJ treaty and specializes in high seas marine protected areas and the treaty's interaction with other management bodies. She also serves as the co-lead for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) High Seas Specialist Group.

Before joining Pew, Clark worked on international fisheries issues at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and on deep-sea and high-seas research at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies in Potsdam, Germany. She is a member of the sixth cohort of Homeward Bound, a global leadership program for women in STEMM fields.

Clark holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental public policy and law from Trinity College, and a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Wollongong’s Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, where her research focuses on the BBNJ agreement.

Professor Donald Rothwell | Professor International Law, Australian National University

Donald R Rothwell is Professor of International Law at the ANU College of Law, Australian National University where he has taught since July 2006. His research has a specific focus on law of the sea, polar law, and implementation of international law within Australia as reflected in 28 authored, co-authored and edited books, and over 200 articles, book chapters and notes in international and Australian publications. A 3rd edition of his leading work with Tim Stephens – The International Law of the Sea (Hart) - was published in 2023. Rothwell’s other recent books include Islands and International Law (Hart, 2022); and Rothwell and Letts (eds), The Law of the Sea in South East Asia: Environmental, Navigational and Security Challenges (Routledge, 2020). Major career works include The Polar Regions and the Development of International Law (CUP, 1996), and Rothwell, Oude Elferink, Scott and Stephens (eds), The Oxford Handbook of the Law of the Sea (OUP, 2015). From 2012-2018 he was Rapporteur of the International Law Association (ILA) Committee on ‘Baselines under the International Law of the Sea’. Rothwell was previously Challis Professor of International Law and Director of the Sydney Centre for International and Global Law, University of Sydney (2004-2006), where he had taught since 1988.

Dr. Tony Worby | Chief Scientist, Minderoo Foundation

Dr Tony Worby was appointed as the inaugural Chief Scientist at Minderoo Foundation in November 2023. Prior to that he held the role of Executive Director, Oceans at Minderoo, with responsibility for the Foundation’s portfolio of environmental work across oceans, plastics, and climate. Before moving to the philanthropic sector Tony was Director of the Oceans & Atmosphere Division at CSIRO where he led a team of 600+ scientists and technical staff. Before that he was CEO of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (2014-11), Deputy Chief Marine at CSIRO (2011-14), and Program Leader for the Australian Antarctic Division’s Ice, Oceans, Atmosphere and Climate research program (2009-11).

Dr. Lucy Buxton | Board Director, Ocean Decade Australia

Lucy Buxton works across scientific research, strategy and external engagement. As a researcher she held positions at several international marine research facilities and worked in areas spanning marine toxicology, coral biology, fisheries and science policy. She has contributed to large scale international research initiatives exploring the linkages between ocean health and human health that have led to improvements in natural resource management, early public health intervention and environmental protection policies. Lucy has worked in professional leadership roles in the Australian higher education sector for 15 years leading science engagement, research strategy, international partnerships, innovation and business development. A passionate communicator and collaborator, Lucy regularly works with the public and private sectors to increase scientific understanding, stakeholder engagement and implementation of sustainable practices industry and government. She contributes to several boards in the education and not for profit sector.