Ocean Literacy

In June 2026, the German Bundestag passed an act amending the Environmental Remediation Act and other key environmental legislations. This policy brief explains what changes this will bring about and what implications this could have for the work of environmental organisations in Germany.

This policy brief examines the international legal foundations establishing States' obligations to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, including ensuring their effective participation in decision-making within the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Applying the principle of systemic integration, it demonstrates how these obligations inform the interpretation and implementation of the ISA’s legal framework, addressing the current gap between existing legal standards and Indigenous participation in practice.

This policy brief examines the distinct yet complementary roles of Indigenous knowledge and technical expertise within the International Seabed Authority (ISA), arguing that recognising this distinction is essential to ensuring meaningful Indigenous participation in decision-making. It identifies key shortcomings in the ISA's current institutional framework, draws on comparative approaches from other international bodies to highlight both effective practices and persistent gaps, and sets out practical recommendations to strengthen Indigenous participation within the ISA.

This policy brief explains that, under existing international law, the goal of achieving 30x30 is no longer a mere policy aspiration but has already evolved into a legally binding obligation. It argues that destructive human activities, such as bottom trawling, must be banned across the entire Ocean.