Biological Diversity & Ecosystems Committee 2020

OSPAR's Biological Diversity & Ecosystems Committee (BDC) meeting took place from online from 23-26 March 2020 with a curtailed agenda due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe. The physical arrangements of the meeting had to be cancelled shortly before the commencement of the meeting, and arrangement were rapidly put in place to allow for discussions to happen online. The Committee addressed important and urgent issues, such as the operational objectives for Part II of the NEAES 2030, and foreseen deliverables to the OSPAR Ministerial Meeting.

BDC proposed operational objectives for Part II of OSPAR's new North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy, concluded on the technical nomination proforma for the proposed North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Seamount MPA, as well as agreed on the two outstanding Recommendations on management of the threatened and/or declining species Houting and Azorean barnacle. More information on OSPAR's list of threatened and/or declining species and habitats can be found here

Due to the curtailed agenda, BDC will organise a meeting in the autumn of 2020 to address those items which were not addressed in March.