A/RES/70/235
Oceans and the law of the sea
Implementation), 18 in particular the target on sanitation, and the Monterrey
Consensus of the International Conference on Financing for Development; 88
204. Recalls the resolution of the thirtieth Consultative Meeting of
Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by
Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (the London Convention) and the third
Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Protocol, held from 27 to 31 October
2008, on the regulation of ocean fertilization, 89 in which the Contracting Parties
agreed, inter alia, that the scope of the London Convention and Protocol includes
ocean fertilization activities and that, given the present state of knowledge, ocean
fertilization activities other than for legitimate scientific research sho uld not be
allowed, and that scientific research proposals should be assessed on a case -by-case
basis using an assessment framework to be developed by the scientific groups under
the London Convention and Protocol, and also agreed that, to this end, such o ther
activities should be considered as contrary to the aims of the London Convention
and Protocol and should not currently qualify for any exemption from the definition
of dumping in article III, paragraph 1 (b), of the London Convention and article 1,
paragraph 4.2, of the London Protocol;
205. Also recalls the resolution of the thirty-second Consultative Meeting of
Contracting Parties to the London Convention and the fifth Meeting of Contracting
Parties to the London Protocol, held from 11 to 15 October 2010, on the Assessment
Framework for Scientific Research Involving Ocean Fertilization; 90
206. Notes the continued work of the Contracting Parties to the London
Convention and Protocol towards a global, transparent and effective control and
regulatory mechanism for ocean fertilization activities and other activities that fall
within the scope of the London Convention and Protocol and have the potential to
cause harm to the marine environment, and notes the recent amendments to the
Protocol on this matter; 91
207. Recalls decision IX/16 C, adopted at the ninth meeting of the Conference
of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Bonn, Germany,
from 19 to 30 May 2008, 92 in which the Conference of the Parties, inter alia, bearing
in mind the ongoing scientific and legal analysis occurring under the auspices of the
London Convention and Protocol, requested parties and urged other Governments,
in accordance with the precautionary approach, to ensure that ocean fertilization
activities were not carried out until there was an adequate scientific basis on which
to justify such activities, including an assessment of associated risks, and that a
global, transparent and effective control and regulatory mechanism was in place for
those activities, with the exception of small-scale scientific research studies within
coastal waters, and stated that such studies should be authorized only if justified by
the need to gather specific scientific data, should be subject to a thorough prior
assessment of the potential impacts of the research studies on the marine
environment, should be strictly controlled and should not be used for generating and
selling carbon offsets or for any other commercial purposes, and takes note of
_______________
88
Report of the International Conference on Financing for Development, Monterrey, Mexico, 18–
22 March 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.II.A.7), chap. I, resolution 1, annex.
89
International Maritime Organization, document LC 30/16, annex 6, resolution LC-LP.1 (2008).
90
International Maritime Organization, document LC 32/15 and Corr.1, annex 5, resolution LCLP.2 (2010).
91
International Maritime Organization, document LC 35/15, annex 4, resolution LP.4(8).
92
See United Nations Environment Programme, document UNEP/CBD/COP/9/29, annex I.
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