The nineteenth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process (ICP) on Oceans and the Law of the Sea will take place from 18-22 June 2018 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The UN General Assembly established the ICP to facilitate annual review of developments in ocean affairs and the law of the sea with an emphasis on identifying areas where coordination and cooperation at the intergovernmental and inter-agency levels should be enhanced. In 2017, ICP-18 focused on “The effects of climate change on oceans.” Please see our ICP-18 summary and analysis. ICP-19 will focus on “Anthropogenic underwater noise.”

For many marine animals, sound is the preferred sensory medium. Underwater noise has increased with expansion of industrial activities in the marine environment, affecting many types of marine biota. Most relevant international rules, standards and recommended practices are non-legally binding, largely sectoral, and focused on specific activities or affected species. Regional and national efforts tend toward guidelines and codes of conduct. Significant data and knowledge gaps hinder development of effective management measures to protect marine species.

The “informal” nature of the ICP allows delegates to dive more deeply into a specific topic area each year, with presentations from subject-matter expects followed by discussions. Key expectations for ICP-19 include exchanging information about: 

• the nature and sources of anthropogenic underwater sound; and
• existing and potential environmental and socio-economic impacts. 

On the potential for enhanced coordination and cooperation to address anthropogenic underwater noise, discussion topics will likely include:

• the nature and scope of existing legal and policy frameworks;
• intra- and cross-sectoral efforts to obtain relevant data;
• identifying knowledge and data gaps;
• current noise-reduction technologies;
• noise management examples and tools; and
• capacity-building efforts and options.

The Co-Chair’s summary document is expected to highlight issues of most concern for delegates and identify potential areas for future coordination and cooperation.