Oceans and the law of the sea A/RES/74/19 binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, which concluded on 21 July 2017, as well as the report of the Preparatory Committee and the recommendations contained therein; 117 255. Welcomes the holding of the second and third sessions of the intergovernmental conference convened under resolution 72/249, from 25 March to 5 April 2019 and 19 to 30 August 2019, respectively, and takes note of the substantive discussions that addressed the topics identified in the package agreed in 2011, namely, the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, in particular, together and as a whole, marine genetic resources, including questions on the sharing of benefits, measures such as area -based management tools, including marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, and capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology, and further takes note that the President of the conference will prepare, as part of the preparation for the fourth session of the conference, a revised draft text of an agreement; 256. Requests the Secretary-General to convene the fourth session of the intergovernmental conference from 23 March to 3 April 2020; 257. Recognizes the abundance and diversity of marine genetic resources and their value in terms of the benefits, goods and services t hey can provide; 258. Also recognizes the importance of research on marine genetic resources for the purpose of enhancing the scientific understanding, potential use and application, and enhanced management of marine ecosystems; 259. Notes the work under the Jakarta Mandate on Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity 118 and the Convention on Biological Diversity elaborated programme of work on marine and coastal biological diversity, 119 and, while reiterating the central role of the General Assembly relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, notes with appreciation the complementary technical and scientific work done by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Div ersity; 260. Reaffirms the need for States, individually or through competent international organizations, to urgently consider ways to integrate and improve, based on the best available scientific information and the precautionary approach and in accordance with the Convention and related agreements and instruments, the management of risks to the marine biodiversity of seamounts, cold water corals, hydrothermal vents and certain other underwater features; 261. Invites parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to implement the voluntary specific workplan on biodiversity in cold water areas within the jurisdictional scope of that Convention, adopted in 2016 by the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to that Convention; 120 262. Calls upon States and international organizations to urgently take further action to address, in accordance with international law, destructive practices that have adverse impacts on marine biodiversity and ecosystems, including seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold water corals; __________________ 117 118 119 120 19-21313 A/AC.287/2017/PC.4/2. See A/51/312, annex II, decision II/10. United Nations Environment Programme, document UNEP/CBD/COP/7/21, annex, decision VII/5, annex I. United Nations Environment Programme, document UNEP/CBD/COP/13/25, sect. I, decision XIII/11, annex II. 43/57