The Commonwealth Coastal Policy Annexe

Commonwealth of Australia, May 1995

Annexe D: International treaties relevant to the coastal zone

Treaty	Agency	Objective	Status
International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling 1946	ANCA	Established International Whaling Commission. Main objective is to provide for the orderly regulation of whaling	Entry into force generally 10 November 1948
Convention of the World Meteorological 1950 1947	Bureau of Meteorology	Meteorology	Entry into force generally 23 March Organisation (WMO)
Antarctic Treaty 1959	DEST	Ensures Antarctica is used exclusively for peaceful purposes and that it will not become the scene or object of international discord	Entry into force for Australia 23 June 1961
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Madrid Protocol) 1991	DEST	Provides a comprehensive Antarctic environment protection regime	Adopted Madrid 4 October 1991—to be ratified
International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC) of 29 November 1969 (under the auspices of IMO) and Protocol of 1984 to amend	Transport–AMSA	To ensure owners of oil tankers visiting Australian ports have appropriate levels of insurance to cover liability for pollution damage	Entry into force for Australia 5 February 1984 Protocol not yet in force
International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties 1969 and Protocol Relating to Marine Pollution by Substances other than Oil 1973 (both under the auspices of IMO)	Transport–AMSA	To provide powers to intervene on the high seas in respect of marine casualties resulting in or likely to result in major environmental damage, except for warships	Entry into force for Australia 5 February 1984
Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 1970	DCA	To prevent the illegal export of cultural heritage items and to provide for the return of items that have been illegally exported	Ratified by Australia on 30 January 1990. Entry into force on 24 April 1972
International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage 1971 and 1976 Protocol	Transport–AMSA	To provide an insurance fund to cover liability under the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1969	Entry into force for Australia 8 January 1995
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) 1971	ANCA	To promote conservation of wetlands and waterfowl, to establish nature reserves on wetlands, to provide adequately for their protection and management, and to train personnel competent in the field of wetlands research and management	Entry into force generally 21 December 1975. Implemented through State/Territory conservation legislation. Australia now has 40 Ramsar sites
Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972	DEST	Establishes a scientific system for permanent protection of cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value	Entry into force generally 17 December 1975
International Convention on Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (London Dumping Convention) 1972	EPA	Controls dumping from any ships, aircraft or platforms in Australian waters and by Australian ships or aircraft in any part of the sea	Entry into force for Australia 20 September 1985
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals 1972	DEST	Establishes a system of protection, scientific study and rational use of Antarctic seals	Entry into force for Australia 31 July 1987
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 1973 (CITES)	ANCA	Regulates trade in species threatened with extinction	Entry into force for Australia 27 October 1976
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) 1973/78, and Annexes I to V	Transport–AMSA	To prevent pollution from disposal of oil, noxious liquids, harmful packaged substances and garbage from ships of all sizes, including recreational craft	Entry into force for Australia 14 January 1988 (annexes I and II)
Agreement for the Protection of Migratory Birds and Birds in Danger of Extinction and their Environment between the Government of Australia and the Government of Japan 1974 (JAMBA)	ANCA	Bilateral agreement that reinforces Ramsar Convention as well as extending Australia’s commitment to protect migratory birds other than waterfowl, birds in danger of extinction and their environment	Entered into force 30 April 1981
Agreement for the Protection of Migratory Birds and their Environment between the Governments of Australia and the People's Republic of China 1986 (CAMBA)	ANCA	Bilateral agreement that reinforces Ramsar Convention as well as extending Australia’s commitment to protect migratory birds, birds in danger of extinction and their environment	Entered into force 1 September 1988
USSR–Australia Migratory Birds Agreement	ANCA/DFAT	Bilateral agreement that reinforces Ramsar Convention as well as extending Australia’s commitment to protect migratory birds, birds in danger of extinction and their environment	Placed on hold pending stabilisation of the political arrangements in what is now the Commonwealth of Independent States
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974	Transport–AMSA		Entry into force for Australia 17 November 1983
Torres Strait Treaty 1978	DFAT	Obliges Australia and Papua New Guinea to protect the marine environment and the way of life of the traditional inhabitants of Torres Strait	Entry into force 15 February 1985
Convention on Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific 1976 (Apia Convention)	ANCA	Establishes a broad framework for nature conservation in the South Pacific region, particularly in relation to migratory and endangered species or the preservation and management of wildlife habitat and terrestrial ecosystems	Entry into force generally 26 June 1990
Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention) 1979	ANCA	Provides a framework for enhancing the conservation status of rare and threatened migratory species	Entry into force for Australia 1 September 1991.
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982	DFAT Attorney-General’s	Framework convention governing all uses of the ocean. Establishes maritime zones of coastal states. Chapter XII covers protection and preservation of the marine environment. International obligations for management and conservation of natural resources, living and non-living, in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone, the continental shelf and the territorial sea	Entry into force 16 November 1994
Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region (SPREP) 1986 and related protocols (two)	DEST	A comprehensive, umbrella agreement for protection, management and development of the marine and coastal environment of the South Pacific region. It lists sources of pollution that require control and identifies environmental management issues requiring regional cooperation	Entry into force generally 22 August 1990
SPREP Protocol concerning Cooperation in Combating Pollution Emergencies in the South Pacific Region 1986	EPA	To enhance cooperation among the parties to protect the South Pacific region from threats and effects of pollution incidents	Entry into force generally 22 August 1990
SPREP Protocol for the Prevention of Pollution of the South Pacific Region by Dumping 1986	EPA	To prevent, reduce and control pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter in the South Pacific	Entry into force generally 22 August 1990
Convention on Biological Diversity 1992	DEST	The objectives of this Convention, to be pursued in accordance with its relevant provisions, are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding	Entry in force generally 29 December 1993
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 1992	DEST	To achieve stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous interference with the climate system and within a timeframe sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change and to enable sustainable food production and economic development	A framework convention was opened for signing at June 1992 UNCED. Entry into force generally 21 March 1994
Convention for the Conservation of Southern Blue Fin Tuna 1993	DPIE	Ensure, through appropriate management, the conservation and optimum utilisation of southern blue fin tuna	Entry into force generally 20 May 1994

Abbreviations

AMSA	Australian Maritime Safety Authority	IMO	International Maritime Organisation
ANCA	Australian Nature Conservation Agency	JAMBA	Japan–Australia Migratory Birds Agreement
CAMBA	China–Australia Migratory Birds Agreement	MARPOL	International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
CITES	Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species	SOLAS	International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
CLC	Civil Liability Convention	SPREP	Convention on the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region
DCA	Department of Communication and the Arts	UNCED	United Nations Commission on Environment and Development
DEST	Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories	UNCLOS	United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea
DFAT	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	WMO	World Meteorological Organisation
EPA	Environment Protection Agency (Commonwealth)

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