OSPAR Convention

The OSPAR Convention (1992, merging the Oslo and Paris conventions) protects the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic through its 15 contracting parties and the EU. It addresses pollution from land, ships, dumping, and offshore oil and gas, sets ecological quality objectives, coordinates a network of marine protected areas, and runs joint monitoring and assessment. OSPAR Quality Status Reports are a reference benchmark for the region’s environmental state.