| | This week marks 50 years of international cooperation to protect the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic. But how did we get here?...
1967 - The grounding of the Torrey Canyon and the subsequent release of 117 000 tonnes of oil with disastrous consequences for the environment proved to be a pivotal point for international cooperation to combat marine pollution of the North-East Atlantic.
1969 – The grounding of the Torrey Canyon ultimately stimulated the signature of the Bonn Agreement for Cooperation in Deadline with Pollution of the North Sea by Oil.
1972 – The next important development in the growing general awareness of the dangers of pollution of the seas came with the agreement and signature of the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft. The “Oslo Convention” entered into force in 1974.
1974 – Following the Oslo Convention, it was deemed necessary to up a similar document dealing with the prevention of marine pollution by discharges of dangerous substances from land-based sources, watercourses and pipelines. Negotiations resulted in the Convention for Prevention of Marine Pollution from land-based sources. The “Paris Convention” was opened for signature in June 1974.
1992 – A meeting of the Oslo and Paris Commissions was held in 1992. The most important outcome of this meeting was the adoption of the new Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic. The OSPAR Convention!
I'd like to say thank you to everyone involved in the last 50 years and wish you all a happy World Oceans Day. Despite the progress and our collective efforts there is still lots to do to protect the ocean. We can't afford to wait another 50 years to achieve our vision of a clean, healthy and biologically diverse North-East Atlantic Ocean, which is productive, used sustainably and resilient to climate change and ocean acidification.
Dominic Pattinson
Executive Secretary |
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