London Convention and Protocol

The "Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972", the "London Convention" for short, is one of the first global conventions to protect the marine environment from human activities and has been in force since 1975. Its objective is to promote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution and to take all practicable steps to prevent pollution of the sea by dumping of wastes and other matter. Currently, 86 States are Parties to this Convention.

In 1996, the "London Protocol" was agreed to further modernize the Convention and, eventually, replace it. Under the Protocol all dumping is prohibited, except for possibly acceptable wastes on the so-called "reverse list". The Protocol entered into force on 24 March 2006 and there are currently 38 Parties to the Protocol.

Please click on the right for links to related issues. Pages include general information for the public and for States interested in becoming Parties to the London Protocol 1996. For guidance on how to implement the London Protocol in a national context, please click here.

Information about the Convention and the Protocol can also be viewed in a Brochure (English French Spanish Arabic Chinese Russian) that contains details on what the London Convention is, what has been achieved, the potential benefits and cost of membership to the London Protocol, a shortlist of the current activities under the Convention and the Convention's relationship with other international agreements. This brochure is developed for outreach activities to promote membership to the London Protocol.

Official meeting documents are available for Parties to the London Convention and Protocol, IMO Member Governments, Intergovernmental agencies, and organisations in consultative status with the IMO or the Convention and/or Protocol.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY PASSWORDS USED FOR THE OLD LONDON CONVENTION WEBSITE ARE NOW NO LONGER VALID. All documents can be accessed by clicking the appropriate buttons on the right.

Note that this site is continously being updated and improved and may contain minor errors, if found - please notify the Office for the London Convention and Protocol.