42th Meeting of the scientific group of London Convention 1972

From 18  to 22 March in Vancouver (Canada) was held the 42th Meeting of the Scientific Group of the 1972 London Convention on the prevention of marine pollution caused by the deliberate immersion of waste and other substances at sea  and also the 13th meeting of the Protocol's Scientific Group 1996.

An ISPRA expert participated as a national expert and second vice chairman (appointed last 4 May 2018). Researchers from Chile, Canada, USA, UK, Norway, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Philippines, Ghana Iran, Japan, Holland, Nigeria, South Korea, South Africa, Thailand also joined the event.

The Protocol 96, entered into force in 2016, is the main tool at world level for prevention of marine pollution from ship and aircraft discharges, adopting the precautionary principle, according to which it is necessary to apply appropriate preventive measures if there is reason to believe that the introduction into the marine environment of waste or similar substances can cause damage.

Italy ratified the Protocol in 2006 and, for more than 20 years, has been actively participating in meetings of the scientific groups and conferences of the parties. In 2009 Italy, through the support of ISPRA and MATTM, hosted scientific groups at the FAO headquarters. The expert Cristian Mugnaiof Ispra was elected "First Vice Chairman of the London Convention Scientific Group and Protocol 1996" starting from Friday 22 March.