OCEAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA): SUSTAINING BUSINESS AND BIODIVERSITY AT SEA

Ocean industries will be required to have Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for their activities, according to the regulations being promulgated in major new extension of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The new international EIA requirements are part of the legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine life in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). The BBNJ Treaty is being developed at the U.N. within the framework of UNCLOS and is nearing its final phase of negotiations.

Marine EIA providers are invited to a special World Ocean Council (WOC) session on “Ocean EIA: Solutions, Best Practices and Collaboration for Assessing Threat, Risk and Impacts to High Seas Biodiversity” where companies can present their experience and recommendations for best practices in “Ocean EIA”. 

The workshop on “Ocean EIA” takes place at the WOC’s 7^th Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS), Paris, 20-22 November and will address:

• What are the best practices for assessing threat and risk and undertaking environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for high seas biodiversity?
• How can these help inform and ensure that the legally binding BBNJ agreement includes practical, science-based solutions that work with industry and other stakeholders to understand and address priority impacts?
• Is there value in having an international platform or forum for the practitioners and clients of high seas EIAs to advance and improve this emerging field, in support of the BBNJ treaty?

The SOS 2019 workshop builds on the official WOC Side Event in August 2019 at the U.N. Headquarters on “Methods and Tools for Documenting Human Activity and Assessing Threat and Risk to High Seas Biodiversity” during the 3^rd round of BBNJ Treaty negotiations.

Ocean business and investment community representatives are also invited to participate in the high-level workshop on “The Role for the Private Sector on the High Seas Within the BBNJ Process” (Boulogne-Sur-Mer, 18-19 November).

The WOC is working with the event organizers (French Government, French Biodiversity Agency,  Nausicaá) to ensure the private sector takes advantage of this unique opportunity to engage directly with government negotiators working on the BBNJ treaty.

Companies or industry organizations interested in participating in the workshop are invited to contact the WOC at info@oceancouncil.org. The workshop dates were selected to facilitate attendees being able to subsequently participate in the 7^th WOC Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS), Paris, 20-22 Nov.