The Development and Administration of the London Convention and Protocol: ‘Two Instruments, One Family’ and Their Link to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Abstract The London Convention and London Protocol are the two main international treaties of global application addressing the protection of the marine environment from pollution caused by the dumping of wastes and other matter into the sea. This article describes how the treaties were developed and adopted, explores their relationship with the overarching 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( LOSC ) and examines how the treaties are administered to implement their vision of ‘two instruments, one family’. The article also highlights the ground-breaking steps the London Convention and London Protocol have taken to address new threats to the ocean, which include regulating new climate change mitigation technologies that have the potential to cause harm to the marine environment.