The 8th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 8) to the Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region convened under the theme, ‘Conserving the Marine and Coastal Environment for the Western Indian Ocean for the next 30 Years.'
24 June 2015: The 8th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 8) to the Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region convened under the theme, ‘Conserving the Marine and Coastal Environment for the Western Indian Ocean for the next 30 Years.’
In addition to regional guidelines, parties to the Convention requested that countries and partners involved in oil and gas development conduct and implement a regionally-coordinated strategic environmental assessment of social and environmental sustainability of oil and gas in the Western Indian Ocean region. They further called for a regional climate change strategy for the Nairobi Convention area, including recommendations that can be integrated into national climate change strategies with options for the development of policies, programmes and projects on climatic variability and climate change.
Parties also, inter alia: recognized contributions of partners, including the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS); requested that the Nairobi Convention and WCS prepare a regional status report on sharks and rays in the Western Indian Ocean; called for cooperation in improving the governance of areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ); and decided that each party should apply blue or ocean economy approaches as pathways for sustained economic growth, food security, poverty eradication, job creation and environmental sustainability.
Speaking at the opening of COP 8, Achim Steiner, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, highlighted the strong potential of the Western Indian Ocean region in driving sustainable economic development in the region.
Three reports were launched during COP 8: ‘Regional State of the Coast Report: Western Indian Ocean’ published by UNEP, the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) and the Nairobi Convention Secretariat; ‘Climate Change Strategy for the Marine and Coastal Environment in the Nairobi Convention Area’ prepared by the WIOMSA and the Nairobi Convention Secretariat; and ‘Setting a Course for Regional Seas’ by UNEP.
COP 8 convened in Mahe, Seychelles, from 22-24 June 2015. [UNEP Nairobi Convention COP 8 Webpage] [Decisions Adopted by COP 8] [UNEP Press Release] [Publication: Regional State of the Coast Report: Western Indian Ocean] [Publication: Climate Change Strategy for the Marine and Coastal Environment in the Nairobi Convention Area] [Publication: Setting a Course for Regional Seas]