Seline Trevisanut and Catherine Blanchard participate in workshop aimed at rethinking the International Seabed Authority

On 27-28 February 2024, Seline Trevisanut and Catherine Blanchard participated in the workshop ‘Imagining the International Seabed Authority as a Planetary Institution for the Seabed as a Commons’ organized by The New Institute in Hamburg. The workshop aimed to rethink the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the international organization mandated to control, regulate and manage mineral-related activities on the seabed beyond national jurisdiction, from a planetary perspective.

The multi-disciplinary workshop gathered scholars and researchers from law, governance, social sciences, and philosophy, natural scientists, and artists, as well as representatives from civil society organizations, indigenous groups and delegates attending the meetings of the ISA. Participants first explored the concepts and ideas of planetary thinking and politics in relation to the international regime for the governance of the deep oceans. They then brainstormed on ways to redesign the ISA as an institution of planetary politics.

Seline and Catherine enjoyed this ‘thinking outside of the box’ experience: "Not only was it a great opportunity to meet and reconnect with colleagues working on deep-sea mining, sustainability and the management of the commons from different perspectives, but it was also an interesting exercise to think critically about existing institutions, structures and frameworks, while envisaging possible avenues for paradigm changes", they said.

For more information, check out the programme of the event.