43rd Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention and the 16th Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Protocol (LC 43/LP 16), 25-29 October 2021
The Forty-third Consultative Meeting and the Sixteenth Meeting of Contracting Parties (LC 43/LP 16) was held by virtual session from 25 to 29 October 2021.
During the meeting, the Contracting Parties addressed a number of important issues concerning ocean governance and the protection of the marine environment.
Sewage sludge dumping – a future ban?
Sewage sludge is a waste that may be considered for dumping at sea under both the London Convention and London Protocol. In the past, a substantial number of States permitted the dumping of this waste at sea.
After commissioning a world-wide review of current practices of managing or dumping sewage sludge at sea, the meeting concluded that the practice had declined considerably over recent decades, that it was already prohibited under many regional conventions and through domestic legislation, and that alternatives existed for the use of the sewage sludge.
The meeting agreed that there was sufficient evidence and justification for amending Annex 1 of the London Protocol to remove sewage sludge from the list of permissible wastes and invited a Contracting Party or Parties to the Protocol to propose such an amendment. If a proposal is received and agreed by the Contracting Parties, then the dumping of sewage sludge at sea would be prohibited worldwide.
Under the London Protocol all dumping is prohibited, except for possibly acceptable wastes on the so-called "reverse list" (Annex 1). The Protocol entered into force on 24 March 2006 and there are currently 53 Parties to the Protocol. (Read more here.).
Guidance on disposal site selection
Selecting a disposal site at sea to minimize marine environmental impacts is an integral part of the Waste Assessment Guidelines (WAG) adopted under the treaties.
The meeting considered and approved guidance on disposal site selection: "Guidelines for Selecting Sites for the Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter at Sea and for Developing Site Management and Monitoring Plans". The guidelines identify the information and data that are important for evaluating whether or not dumping activities at a newly proposed site might cause unacceptable impacts to the marine environment, human health, or other uses of the sea.
The guidance will be published in all three working languages of IMO: English, French and Spanish.
First review of the LP-LC Strategic Plan
The LP-LC Strategic Plan, adopted by the governing bodies in 2016, is intended to facilitate the implementation of the London Protocol and the London Convention in order to contribute to the prevention of marine pollution and to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Next year will mark the first full review of the progress towards the targets under the Strategic Plan. The meeting instructed the Secretariat to prepare the review for submission to the governing bodies in 2022.
Regulating climate change mitigation technologies
The meeting highlighted the importance of having more Contracting Parties ratify the two outstanding climate change amendments to the London Protocol: the 2009 amendment to enable the transboundary export of CO2 for storage beneath the seabed, and the 2013 amendment to regulate ocean fertilization and other marine geoengineering activities.
As underscored by the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, climate change mitigation technologies may have a pivotal role to play in meeting the challenge of a net-zero future.These amendments, once in force, will enable the Contracting Parties to confront the challenges posed by global climate change while regulating these activities on a precautionary basis to ensure protection of the marine environment and human health.
Commemorating 50 years since the adoption of the London Convention
The meeting noted that next year, 2022, will mark 50 years since the adoption of the London Convention, signifying the beginning of five decades of action to prevent marine pollution from the dumping of wastes and other matter.
To commemorate this important milestone, the meeting instructed the LC/LP Secretariat to work with the LC/LP Bureau to organize a suitable, hybrid commemorative event and invited interested delegations to support the preparations for the commemoration.