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Global treaty to halt invasive aquatic species to enter into force in 2017

This Convention was ratified by Belgium on 7 March 2016.

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) will enter into force on 8 September 2017, marking a landmark step towards halting the spread of invasive aquatic species, which can cause havoc for local ecosystems, affect biodiversity and lead to substantial economic loss.

Release date	20/09/2016

Under the Convention’s terms, ships will be required to manage their ballast water to remove, render harmless, or avoid the up take or discharge of aquatic organisms and pathogens within ballast water and sediments. The Convention will then contribute to the achievement of Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 on invasive alien species. Further information is available at the official website of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The Conference of the Parties had urged Parties and other Governments to ratify and implement the BWM Convention in decision VIII/27. I take this opportunity to congratulate all Parties that have ratified the BWM Convention to date and further urge Parties and other Governments to implement the global guidelines developed by the IMO. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity will celebrate this landmark event at the margins of the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Cancun, Mexico.