STATEMENT BY MR NATHANIEL KHNG, COUNSELLOR (LEGAL), PERMANENT MISSION OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON AGENDA ITEM 3, ON GENERAL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS, TWENTY-THIRD MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS OPEN-ENDED INFORMAL CONSULTATIVE PROCESS ON OCEANS AND THE LAW OF THE SEA, 5 JUNE 2023

Co-Chairs,

My delegation thanks you for your leadership.  Please be assured of our full support.

2 The theme “New maritime technologies: challenges and opportunities” is one that is particularly salient to Singapore.  Like our fellow low-lying coastal and small island States, Singapore is keenly aware of the threats of climate change, rising sea levels, marine environment degradation and biodiversity loss.  As an international maritime hub, Singapore actively supports efforts to promote new maritime technologies to address the challenges in the coastal and marine environment arising from climate change and to facilitate the decarbonisation of the marine sector.  Allow me to share two examples.

(a) First, in March 2021, Singapore launched a five-year Marine Climate Change Science programme.  This is a multi-stakeholder research programme involving partners across government agencies, research institutes and industry, which seeks to advance the core sciences of marine climate change and develop evidence-based interventions and solutions to safeguard our coastal and marine ecosystems.

(b) Second, as a key maritime trading nation and major transshipment port, Singapore is committed to promoting clean and green shipping, and, in this regard, we have implemented the Maritime Singapore Green Initiative to promote shipping decarbonisation and are working with like-minded countries and research and industry stakeholders to develop Green and Digital Shipping Corridors.  These Corridors serve as valuable testbeds to trial new technologies and fuels before scaling up for wider adoption.

3 These initiatives illustrate the collective efforts across sectors and nations required to address urgent environmental challenges.

4 To this end, Singapore also strives to do its part by contributing to the multilateral governance of the global commons and has played an active role in developing ocean law and policy.  A recent significant example would be our involvement in the successful conclusion of negotiations on the BBNJ treaty, which will be adopted later this month.

5 The BBNJ treaty has relevance to our discussions this week, as it contains crucial obligations in relation to capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology, and will enable better regulation of the marine environment in areas beyond national jurisdiction.  It will also lead to more equitable sharing of benefits arising from marine scientific research in these areas.

6 An innovative aspect of the BBNJ treaty is the commitment by developed countries to provide an additional contribution amounting to 50 percent of their annual financial contributions to fund capacity-building projects.  These projects will aid developing countries in conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in the high seas and deep seabed, as well as implementing the treaty.  They encompass various initiatives, including sharing marine scientific and technological knowledge, developing infrastructure and equipment, and providing education and training.

7 These efforts align with Sustainable Development Goal 14, which concerns the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.  Singapore is committed to working closely with other countries, regional organisations, and international bodies towards the early ratification and effective implementation of the BBNJ treaty.  We look forward to continued engagement with other delegations on this important subject.

Co-Chairs,

8 The final point that I wish to make would be that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out, and this would include those activities involving or relating to new maritime technologies.

9 Thank you for your attention.

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