Underwater Noise – Call for Input to CBD Draft Report

UNDERWATER NOISE: INTERNATIONAL BIODIVERSITY TREATY CALL FOR INPUT TO DRAFT REPORT

WOC Encourages Ocean Industry Input to Convention on Biological Diversity’s Draft Document on Anthropogenic Underwater Noise; Deadline 5 October 2020

30 September 2020

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is circulating for a peer review the draft report on Anthropogenic Underwater Noise: Impacts on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity and Habitats, and Mitigation and Management Measures. https://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2020/cbd-ts-underwater-noise-peer-review-en.pdf

The World Ocean Council (WOC) encourages ocean industries concerned with the issue of marine sound to submit review and comments to the draft CBD report. The WOC engages regularly with the CBD to ensure the presence of ocean industries in the CBD processes, e.g. the WOC is an accredited participant to the CBD Conference of Parties (COP).

The WOC works proactively to develop dialogue and interaction between the CBD and the ocean business community. For example, the CBD Executive Secretary was a keynote speaker at the WOC 2017 Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS). The WOC has been working to develop an international multi-sectoral forum on addressing anthropogenic marine sound and has had dedicated sessions on the issue at the annual SOS.

To help address the impacts of anthropogenic underwater noise on marine and coastal biodiversity and habitat, the CBD draft document will be revised in response to input received prior to publishing it in the CBD Technical Series (https://www.cbd.int/ts/) for informing CBD Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations.

A template for providing review comments is available at https://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2020/cbd-ts-underwaternoise-template-for-comments-en.doc

Comments (making use of the review template) should be sent by email to secretariat@cbd.int no later than 5 October 2020.

# Blue Economy by the Numbers # Number of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity: 196 (195 States and the EU) Source: https://www.cbd.int/information/parties.shtml

Recent and Upcoming WOC Outreach and Engagement 27 September – 2 October, Florida/Online Conference Underwater Minerals Conference (UMC) 2020 (Speaker, Sponsor) 30 September, 10:00 BST, Webinar Breakbulk – The Digital Special: Building a Sustainable Future (Speaker) 1-2 October, Online Conference Reuters Offshore and Floating Wind Europe (Speaker) 6-8 October, Rotterdam/Online Summit World Conference on Floating Solutions (Keynote Speaker, Partner) 12-13 October, Online Seminar African Development Institute (ADI) Global Community of Practice Seminar – Financing Natural Capital: Policies for Value Chain Development in Natural Resources in Post COVID-19 Africa (Keynote Speaker, Partner) 14-16 October, Online Event CMA Shipping (Speaker, Supporting Organization) 15-16 October, Online Event Global Forum on Human Settlements 2020 (Speaker, Partner)

World Ocean Council (WOC) – The Global Blue Economy Business Organization The WOC is the international, cross-sectoral alliance for private sector leadership, collaboration and action on ocean sustainability, stewardship and science. Companies from a range of industries worldwide are distinguishing themselves as leaders in “Corporate Ocean Responsibility”, including: shipping, oil and gas, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, mining, renewable energy, ocean technology and investment. WOC Members are listed here, a part of the WOC Network of 35,000+ ocean industry stakeholders around the world. The WOC is a registered not-for-profit organization in the US and France.