The Convention for the Protection
of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (the OSPAR
Convention)
International cooperation to protect the marine environment of
the north-east Atlantic is achieved through the OSPAR Convention.
With the adoption of Annex V in 1998, the convention embraced a
more holistic responsibility for environmental protection in the
region, including its biodiversity. The convention had its origins
in the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping
from Ships and Aircraft (the Oslo Convention) (adopted in 1972) and
the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from
Land-Based Sources (the Paris Convention) (adopted in 1974) which
were brought together in 1992 as the OSPAR Convention. With the
adoption in 2008 of the EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the
Convention is expected to play a key role as one of the Regional
Sea Conventions with specific responsibilities for delivery of some
aspects of the Directive.
The Convention for the Protection of the
Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (The OSPAR
Convention) was adopted in Paris, France in September 1992 and
entered into force in March 1998. The OSPAR Convention replaced
both the Oslo and Paris Conventions, with the intention of
providing a comprehensive and simplified approach to addressing all
sources of pollution which might affect the maritime area, as well
as matters relating to the protection of the marine environment
other than those relating to the prevention and elimination of
pollution. It retained all decisions, recommendations and
agreements adopted under the previous Conventions, subject to
termination through the adoption of new measures under OSPAR. An
OSPAR Commission was established to administer the Convention and
to develop policy and international agreements. In July 1998
parties agreed on a new Annex V on the protection and conservation
of the ecosystems and biological diversity of the maritime area,
and a new appendix 3 with criteria for identifying human activities
for the purpose of Annex V. The Commission has adopted five
strategies for directing its work. Measures and programmes within
the Biodiversity Strategy include the identification of ecological
quality objectives for the North Sea, development of lists of
species and habitats in need of protection, identification and
selection of marine protected areas, and the prevention and control
of adverse impacts from human activities. Much of this work is
moving from its initial developmental phases into delivery phases,
including via monitoring programmes, updated assessments on status
and the identification of programmes and measures for improved
management of human activities.
The UK ratified OSPAR in 1998, and Annex V and Appendix 3 in
June 2000. The OSPAR Commission Secretariat is based in London; UK
implementation is coordinated by the Department for Environment
Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), with contributions to OSPAR
Committees by a variety of government departments, the devolved
administrations and agencies. Defra's Marine Biodiversity Team lead
on the UK's input to implementation of Annex V, which is delivered
through the OSPAR Biodiversity Committee.
JNCC plays an active role in providing advice to Government to
support OSPAR commitments, particularly in relation to
implementation of Annex V on Biodiversity Strategy. This includes
supporting Defra at Biodiversity Committee meetings, in the Working
Group on Marine Areas, Species and Habitats (MASH) and through its
various intersessional groups and activities. This advice has
centred on the main work areas of species
and habitat protection; ecological quality objectives; marine protected
areas; and assessment of the impacts of human activities. JNCC
takes the lead role for OSPAR in the mapping of habitats on the OSPAR List. In 2007
JNCC introduced a strategic assessment framework to help guide the
future direction and priorities for biodiversity assessment and
monitoring. This framework has been actively used in assessing the
status of biodiversity for the OSPAR Quality Status Report 2010 and
is expected to assist in delivery of biodiversity issues under the
EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
During the latter half of the last century deliberate dumping of
substances and spillage disasters in the North-East Atlantic
highlighted the need for international cooperation to combat marine
pollution in this region. Accordingly, the Convention for the
Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft
(the Oslo Convention) was adopted in 1972 to address pollution at
sea, while the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution
from Land-Based Sources (the Paris Convention) was adopted in 1974
to address marine pollution by discharges of dangerous substances
from land-based sources, watercourses or pipelines.
February 2010