45th Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention and the 18th Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Protocol (LC 45/LP 18) - opening speech

ADDRESS BY MR. ARSENIO DOMINGUEZ, DIRECTOR, MARINE ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AT THE OPENING OF THE FORTY-FIFTH CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE LONDON CONVENTION & EIGTEENTH MEETING OF CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE LONDON PROTOCOL  (LC 45/LP 18)

2 October 2023

Excellencies, distinguished delegates and observers,

On behalf of the Secretary-General, it is a pleasure to welcome you all to the Forty-fifth Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention and eighteenth Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Protocol.

As you will recall, last year we commemorated fifty years since the adoption of the London Convention, and at that meeting you took the important decision to amend the protocol to remove sewage sludge from the list of potentially permissible wastes. With the amendment now in force, the LC/LP has once again shown its willingness to lead by example and strengthen the treaty regime even further.

Since the meeting of the governing bodies last year, there have been several important developments in the ocean governance realm where the treaties operate.

In December last year, the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the post-2020 Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity. And, following its adoption in June this year, the international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, the BBNJ Agreement, was opened for signature on 20 September at the UN in New York. It has so far received more than 70 signatures, and will enter into force once ratified or acceded to by 60 States.   

These achievements, and the negotiations to develop an instrument to address plastic pollution, will no doubt reinforce the global efforts to protect biodiversity and better manage our marine environment.

So, it is clear that the ocean governance landscape is changing, and I believe it is crucial for IMO, and not least for the Parties to the London Convention and Protocol to continue to show leadership, and to strengthen its work on the issues – such as the regulation of climate change mitigation techniques – where there is a clear need for leadership and guidance.

As your agenda for this week illustrates, you will, as always, consider a variety of issues of relevance for the prevention of pollution of the marine environment from dumping of wastes at sea.

I am very pleased to see your Chair, Ms. Betsy Valente of the United States, back on the podium for this session, and I am confident that you will steer the Meeting through the agenda this week.

Finally, allow me to invite you to attend a reception in the Delegates Lounge at the end of session today.

With that, I wish you very good luck in your deliberations this week.

Thank you.

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