Editing International Seabed Authority (section)

==Origin==
The Authority held its inaugural meeting in its host country, [[Jamaica]], on 16 November 1994,<ref>{{UN document |docid=A-49-PV.22 |body=General Assembly |type=Verbatim Report |session=49 |meeting=22 |page=10 |anchor=pg010-bk02-pa12 |date=7 October 1994 |speakername=Mr. Robertson | speakernation=Jamaica |access-date=23 April 2009 }}</ref> the day the Convention came into force.  The articles governing the Authority have been made "noting the political and economic changes, including market-oriented approaches, affecting the implementation" of the convention.<ref name="UN_ARES48263">{{UN document |docid=A-RES-48-263 |type=Resolution |body=General Assembly |session=48 |resolution_number=263 |access-date=23 April 2009|title=Agreement relating to the implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982|date=17 August 1994}}</ref> The Authority obtained its [[United Nations General Assembly observers|observer status to the United Nations]] in October 1996.<ref>{{UN document |docid=A-51-PV.40 |body=General Assembly |type=Verbatim Report |session=51 |meeting=40 |page=22 |anchor=pg022-bk05 |date=24 October 1996 | title=Observer status for the International Seabed Authority in the General Assembly| access-date=23 April 2009 }}</ref> The Authority has 167 members and the European Union, composed of all parties to the [[United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea]].<ref name="un.org" /> The Authority operates by contracting with private and public corporations and other entities authorizing them to explore, and potentially exploit, specified areas on the deep seabed for mineral resources, such as cobalt, nickel and manganese.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Urbina |first=Ian |title=The Outlaw Ocean: Crime and Survival in the Last Untamed Frontier. |year=2019 |isbn=978-0451492944 |page=473 |chapter=The Next Frontier|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf }}</ref><ref name="Time"/>

=== "Common Heritage of All Mankind" ===
Under UNCLOS, Part XI, Section 2. "The Area and its resources are the common heritage of mankind." As a result, ISA must ensure that activities in the Area are undertaken only for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of all humankind, with economic benefits shared equitably and special consideration given to the needs of developing nations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Summary report 17–21 February 2020 |url=https://enb.iisd.org/events/1st-part-26th-annual-session-international-seabed-authority-isa/summary-report-17-21 |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin |language=en |archive-date=24 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524160406/https://enb.iisd.org/events/1st-part-26th-annual-session-international-seabed-authority-isa/summary-report-17-21 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Governance and operations ===
Along with a Secretary-General, two principal organs establish the policies and govern the work of the Authority: the Assembly, in which all UNCLOS parties are represented, and a 36-member Council elected by the Assembly.<ref name="UNCLOS - Part XI, Section 4">{{cite web |title=UNCLOS - Part XI, Section 4 |url=https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part11-4.htm |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=www.un.org |archive-date=2 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302184043/http://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part11-4.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Secretary-General ====
The Assembly elects a Secretary-General to serve a four-year term as the ISA's chief administrative officer, oversee Authority staff and issue an annual report to the Assembly. The Secretary-General is prohibited from holding a financial interest in any mining operations authorized by the Authority.<ref name="UNCLOS - Part XI, Section 4"/>

There have been four Secretary-Generals since ISA's creation in 1996:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width: 120px;"|Country 
!Image!! style="width: 120px;" |Name !! style="width: 120px;"|Term
|-
| {{FIJ}} 
| [[File:Satya N. Nandan 2008 (cropped).jpg |70px]]|| [[Satya Nandan]] || 1996–2008
|-
| {{GHA}} 
| [[File:Nii Allotey Odunton (cropped).jpg |70px]]|| [[Nii Allotey Odunton]] || 2008−2016<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement on the passing of former ISA Secretary-General Nii Allotey Odunton {{!}} International Seabed Authority |url=https://www.isa.org.jm/news/statement-passing-former-isa-secretary-general-nii-allotey-odunton |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=www.isa.org.jm |archive-date=22 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422101353/https://www.isa.org.jm/news/statement-passing-former-isa-secretary-general-nii-allotey-odunton |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| {{GBR}} 
| [[File:Michael Lodge.jpg |70px]] || [[Michael Lodge]] || 2016<ref>{{cite web |date=21 July 2016 |title=Decision of the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority Concerning the Appointment of the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority |url=https://www.isa.org.jm/sites/default/files/files/documents/isba-22a-10_1.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801074737/https://www.isa.org.jm/sites/default/files/files/documents/isba-22a-10_1.pdf |archive-date=1 August 2017 |access-date=1 November 2018 |website=International Seabed Authority }}</ref>–2024
|-
| {{BRA}} 
| [[File:Leticia Reis de Carvalho (cropped).jpg |70px]] || [[Leticia Carvalho]] || 2025–
|}

==== Assembly ====
The Assembly, which consists of all members of the Authority, elects the 36-member Council, as well as the Secretary-General from among candidates the Council recommends. The Assembly also has the power to approve or reject the council's recommendations for the following: rules and regulations governing seabed mining, distribution of financial benefits accrued from authorized mining and the Authority's annual budget.<ref name="UNCLOS - Part XI, Section 4"/>

==== Council ====
The 36-member Council, elected by the Assembly, authorizes contracts with governments and private corporations to explore and mine the international seabed and sets rules and procedures, subject to the Assembly's approval, for ISA governance. The council also nominates a Secretary-General, who then must be elected by the full Assembly to serve a four-year term. The ISA's annual plenary sessions, which usually last two weeks, are held in Kingston.<ref>{{cite web |title=International Seabed Authority {{!}} international organization {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/International-Seabed-Authority |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en |archive-date=19 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419144410/https://www.britannica.com/topic/International-Seabed-Authority |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Advisory bodies ====
Also established is a 30-member Legal and Technical Commission which advises the Council and a 15-member Finance Committee that deals with budgetary and related matters.  All members are experts nominated by governments and elected to serve in their individual capacity.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Legal and Technical Commission {{!}} International Seabed Authority |url=https://www.isa.org.jm/authority/legal-and-technical-commission |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=www.isa.org.jm |archive-date=22 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422101354/https://www.isa.org.jm/authority/legal-and-technical-commission |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Finance Committee {{!}} International Seabed Authority |url=https://www.isa.org.jm/authority/finance-committee |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=www.isa.org.jm |archive-date=28 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428162944/https://www.isa.org.jm/authority/finance-committee |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Enterprise ====
The convention also established a body called the Enterprise which is to serve as the Authority's own mining operator, potentially generating "hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties" to be shared with developing nations."<ref>{{cite web |title=Nautilus Minerals Propose Joint Venture with the Enterprise {{!}} International Seabed Authority |url=https://www.isa.org.jm/news/nautilus-minerals-propose-joint-venture-enterprise |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=www.isa.org.jm |archive-date=20 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220420040827/https://www.isa.org.jm/news/nautilus-minerals-propose-joint-venture-enterprise |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Facebook"/> The environmental organization [[Greenpeace]] has expressed concerns over the ISA's alleged conflict of interest as both regulator and business operator, though the ISA denies the conflict of interest charge.<ref name="Facebook"/>