Kingston, Jamaica – 23 June 2025 — The Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) officially opened its meetings under Part II of its thirtieth session in Kingston, Jamaica, to be concluded by 4 July 2025.
Following the adoption of its agenda during Part I of the thirtieth session, the LTC will consider, inter alia, reports on the status of exploration contracts, the annual report of contractors and review of environmental impact statements (EIS) submitted by contractors. The LTC will conclude its review of the EIS submitted by contractors and make a recommendation to the Council on whether the Secretary-General should incorporate the EIS into the programme of activities under the exploration contract.
The LTC will also evaluate the progress of training programmes offered by contractors in line with their contractual obligations with the ISA. Finally, the LTC will review progress in relation to the development of regional environmental management plans in priority areas.
During this session, one of the key priorities of the LTC is to progress work in relation to the development of environmental threshold values, including the potential application of a zone-of-influence approach for determining threshold values related to toxicity, turbidity and settling of resuspended sediments, as well as underwater noise and light pollution.
As a core part of the governance regime for the Area, the key role of the LTC is pivotal in bridging the technical and policy dimensions of deep-seabed resource management. On behalf of the Secretary-General, the Deputy Secretary-General and Chef de Cabinet, Mr. Bruno Pozzi, highlighted the important role of the LTC, emphasizing that their work, “serves as the backbone to the foundational principles of the ISA and its mandate in organizing and controlling activities in the Area. From preparing drafts of regulations for exploration and exploitation to providing relevant oversight to the work and activities of contractors and ensuring that the technical aspects of the work of the ISA are undertaken with the best available scientific evidence and knowledge.”
About the LTC
The LTC is a body of experts nominated by the Member States of the ISA and elected by the Council to serve in their individual capacities. The current LTC consists of 41 members from 41 countries and all ISA regional groups elected in 2022 for a five-year term starting in January 2023.
About the ISA
The ISA is an autonomous intergovernmental organization mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to manage the mineral resources of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction for the shared benefit of humankind. The ISA is committed to ensuring that all economic activities in the deep seabed, including mining, are regulated and responsibly managed using the best available scientific evidence for the benefit of all humankind.
For media enquiries, please contact:
ISA Communications Unit, news@isa.org.jm