The Strategic Plan for the London Protocol/Convention was adopted on 18 October 2016 by the thirty-eighth Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (London Convention), and the eleventh Meeting of Contracting Parties to the 1996 Protocol to the London Convention, 1972 (London Protocol).
The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (the London Convention) was one of the earliest multilateral environmental agreements. It was an international policy response to decades of dumping into the ocean, dredging and incineration at sea. Its creation was spurred on by the 1972 United Nations Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, and its provisions influenced the negotiation of the ocean dumping provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, particularly Articles 210 and 216.
The Strategic Plan 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.
This Strategic Plan sets out the strategic directions and concrete targets that London Protocol and London Convention Parties are working to achieve by 2030. It is intended to serve as an overarching tool to guide, focus, and prioritize the work of the Parties and to communicate their shared objectives to the outside world.
Progress reports
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
Type of commitment
NUTRIENTS
- Other (please specify): Dumping of wastes at sea
PLASTICS
- Other (please specify): Dumping of wastes at sea
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Type of commitment
- Integrated Coastal Management
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
Type of commitment
- Carbon capture and sequestration
- Scientific research and cooperation to address ocean acidification knowledge gaps
- Other (please specify): Marine geoengineering, incl. ocean fertilization
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
Type of commitment
- Other : Economic benefits from sustainable use of resources and waste management
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Type of commitment
- Training and professional development
- Actions that support SIDS and LDCs
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want
Type of commitment
- Ratification, accession and acceptance of UNCLOS, its Implementing Agreements and other relevant ocean-related instruments
- Development of necessary infrastructure and/or enforcement capabilities to comply with international law, as reflected in UNCLOS and as complemented by other ocean-related instruments
2030
100% of all Parties report
2030
100% of all Parties with a national authority
2030
100% of Parties with appropriate domestic legislative or regulatory authorities to implement the London Protocol
2030
100% of Parties with appropriate domestic legislative or regulatory authorities to implement the London Convention
