Zooming In on Agreement-Making: Tracing the BBNJ Negotiations with the MARIPOLDATAbase

Starting in 2018, the MARIPOLDATAbase has systematically cataloged observations covering the entire Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) negotiations until their conclusion in June 2023. By providing primary data on the whole negotiation process, the MARIPOLDATAbase supports empirical, scholarly work on diverse aspects of international marine biodiversity politics. This research note presents the database, its key features, and how it can be used to trace and map the BBNJ process. Drawing on examples from our own research, we show how we used these data—on actors and alliances, statement length, agreement text, positions, networks, statements, concepts, and meeting formats—to analyze various aspects of agreement-making. We note that our database has specific value for researchers who, in the past, struggled to access the BBNJ negotiations as well as for scholars who wish to follow marine biodiversity negotiations in the future. By facilitating the use of primary negotiation data, the MARIPOLDATAbase structure and content support both broad research areas and specific research questions. We conclude by proposing a methodological shift in the study of global environmental negotiations echoing recent attempts to elevate the ethical standards, data quality, political stakes, and critical reflection on the future of global environmental meetings and their role in global environmental politics (GEP) research.