1. 1 OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic

2. 2 15 States in the North East Atlantic catchments: BelgiumDenmarkFinland FranceGermanyIceland IrelandLuxembourgThe Netherlands NorwayPortugalSpain SwedenSwitzerlandThe United Kingdom and the European Community OSPAR -who are we?

3. 3 Mapping the sea

4. 4 The physical world Mapping the sea Locations, projections, bathymetry - From portolans to Admiralty charts The living world Evolution of current charts

5. 5 1969: the Torrey Canyon 1970: ICES warning - concern for the land means threats to the sea 1971: preparations for Stockholm and the Stella Maris 1972:the Oslo Convention and Stockholm 1974:the Paris Convention First waves

6. 6 1992:UNCED and the need for integration 1993:North Sea QSR - pollution isn’t the only problem 1997:Ecosystem approach - Kyoto protocol 1998: New OSPAR annex on biological diversity and ecosystems 2002:WSSD commitments The ripples spread

7. 7 How else can we integrate the different sectors: –climate change –pollution (land-based, offshore, shipping, dumping) –use of sea space (fisheries, shipping, offshore) –impact on species and habitats The need for a strategy

8. 8 WSSD commitments require the application of the ecosystem approach to the management of human activities. All international organisations need to show how their programmes fit in with this approach OSPAR and HELCOM have done so.bb Ecosystem approach

9. 9 We have been working on marine issues for a generation, and have a body of experience to offer in the fields of hazardous substances, radioactive substances, eutrophication, offshore oil and gas industries, and the protection of marine biodiversity. Role of Regional Seas Organisations (1)

10. 10 Main strength: We are required to be holistic we must assess “the quality status of the marine environment and its development” including both an evaluation of the effectiveness of …measures taken…and the identification of priorities for action”. the assessments must cover water, sediments and biota, as well as human activities and natural and anthropogenic inputs. Role of Regional Seas Organisations (2)

11. 11 Regional seas organisations have a flexible range of procedures open to them, and have been innovative in deploying them. They can continue to play such an innovative role. Role of Regional Seas Organisations (3)

12. 12 Implementing a marine strategy needs resources. There needs to be a similar level of effort throughout the management of the hydrological cycle. Is there a risk that the EC Water Framework Directive’s status will pre-empt resources? Resource needs

13. 13 A European Marine Strategy must orchestrate the actions of all European States, the European Union and international bodies towards ambitious, clear and coherent objectives in all the fields affecting the marine environment win cooperation and commitments by all the various governments and organisations concerned. This requires careful choice of the appropriate form of instruments. Envoi