Contribution to the UN Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) landscape

ACCPIL member and Professor in Intellectual Property (IP) Law Abbe Brown has continued her contribution to the UN Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) landscape. Abbe has partnered with Professor Marcel Jaspars (University of Aberdeen, Chemistry), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative since 2019. She has provided support and expertise regarding the access and benefit sharing and capacity building and marine technology transfer parts of the negotiating BBNJ package, with a particular focus on the importance of engaging with IP rights. Abbe has contributed through events, policy briefs, scholarly contributions and public engagement, notably through the Song of the Ocean.

Since the BBNJ text was agreed, Abbe has continued her policy and public engagement to inform ongoing steps towards implementation, including in policy and public engagement events accompanying the Tall Ships visit to Aberdeen in 2025. She has contributed to proposed UK legislation and, reflecting her key research interests in the intersection between legal fields and the relevance of IP to BBNJ, led the development of a December 2025 policy brief Towards coherence and avoiding undermining: policy recommendations on implementation of the BBNJ Agreement regarding Marine Genetic Resources.

Abbe would like to recognise the outstanding leadership of the late Kristina Gjerde to the BBNJ process and in particular to the contributions Abbe was able to make at the UN in New York, when Kristina made all aware that IUCN had an IP lawyer in their delegation. The University of Aberdeen was also delighted to honour Her Excellency Rena Lee, who was the President of the BBNJ negotiations, by awarding her an Honorary Doctorate of Laws in November 2025. Rena shared her expertise with colleagues, including with ACCPIL members, and students from across the University and the Aberdeen community in fire side chats exploring negotiations, paths to treaties, and career development.