Short Experts’ meeting on Environmental management of the Oil and Gas sector development in the Western Indian Ocean Region

In the same Seventh Conference of the Parties to the Nairobi Convention, Decision CP7/8 on environment management for oil and gas exploration urged Contracting Parties to take into account environmental concerns during exploration and production of oil and gas, including establishing contingency plans and mitigation measures to address negative, chronic and accidental impacts on the marine and coastal environment. The Decision also urged Contracting Parties and other partners to facilitate the collection and sharing of information and best practices on the management of environmental impacts of oil and gas exploration and production. At another level, the decision called on Contracting Parties to carry out strategic environmental assessments (SEA) for oil and gas exploration and production in the marine and coastal environment, and urged the Secretariat in collaboration with Contracting Parties and other partners, to facilitate the development of regional guidelines addressing transboundary environmental impacts of oil and gas exploration and production.