Kingston, Jamaica — On 4 March 2024, the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) officially opened its meetings under Part I of its 29th session, taking place in Kingston, Jamaica, from 4 to 15 March 2024.
In welcoming the LTC members, the ISA Secretary-General, H.E. Mr. Michael W. Lodge, emphasized the key role the LTC, as a subsidiary organ of the Council, plays in the overall governance architecture of ISA.
The LTC re-elected Mr. Erasmo Lara Cabrera, Mexico, as Chair and Ms. Sissel Eriksen, Norway, as Vice-Chair of the LTC for the 29th session.
During 10 days of meetings, the LTC will consider several items, including the current status of exploration contracts and the status of implementation of training programmes under plans of work for exploration.
The LTC is also set to review two applications for exploration for polymetallic sulphides and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the Indian Ocean received by the Secretariat on 18 January 2024 by the Government of India, with a view to providing a recommendation to the Council in accordance with the applicable exploration regulations.
Building on the work conducted at its previous sessions, the LTC will also continue developing binding environmental threshold values, as mandated by the Council at its 27th session, and resume discussion of a standardized procedure for the development, approval and review of regional environmental management plans to be submitted to the Council at its next meeting.
The LTC is a body of experts nominated by ISA Members and elected by the ISA Council to serve in their individual capacities. The current LTC consists of 41 members from 41 different countries from all regions of the world, elected in 2022 for a five-year term starting in January 2023.
More information on the LTC meetings during the 29th session can be found here.
About ISA
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an autonomous international organization mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect the seabed for the shared benefit of humankind. ISA is committed to the principle that all nations of the world should benefit from responsible, sustainable and regulated economic activities in the deep seabed, including deep seabed mining and the potential resources the deep seabed holds for a global green transition. ISA works to ensure that the voices of all states and stakeholders, including developing states, civil society organizations and all ISA Member States, are effectively heard in discussions around the sustainable development of the deep seabed.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms. Jaimie Abbott, Communications Specialist, ISA, jabbott@isa.org.jm