Evolving Perspectives On The International Seabed Area's Genetic Resources: Fifteen Years After The 'Deepest Of Ironies'

This chapter talks about the primary objective of the Deepest of Ironies that was to raise awareness of the existence of the Area's genetic resources, and to catalyse debate on the marine scientific research and other activities involving them. The main points that the paper made was that deep seabed was not a biological desert, the negotiators of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS Convention) were unaware of the Area's genetic resources and had focused on its mineral resources, the Area's genetic resources were its most immediately exploitable and potentially lucrative natural resource and a process was needed to clarify the legal and institutional issues surrounding the use of the Area's genetic resources. It suggested an intergovernmental review of the situation. An overriding objective should be to ensure fair and equitable access to the Area's genetic resources for all countries in the world. Keywords: Area's genetic resources; Deepest of Ironies ; LOS Convention; marine scientific research