Environmental response to the MV Wakashio oil spill in

Charlotta Benedek Head UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit

Briefing on Ongoing Environmental Emergencies for the Geneva Environment Network (GEN) 8th September 2020 Situation

• On 25 July 2020, the vessel, MV Wakashio, ran aground off the coast of Mauritius carrying nearly 4,200 metric tons of fuel.

• On 6 August 2020, the Republic of Mauritius put out a request for international assistance.

Briefing on Ongoing Environmental Emergencies for the Geneva Environment Network (GEN) 8th September 2020 Impact

• The MV Wakashio contained approximately 3,894 tons of fuel oil, 207 tons of diesel and 90 tons of lubricant oil on board.

• By 11 August, estimates indicated that 1,000 - 2,000 tons of fuel oil had leaked from a breached tank and drifted into the surrounding lagoon, including areas of mangrove.

• The spill is considered the worst in the history of Mauritius.

Briefing on Ongoing Environmental Emergencies for the Geneva Environment Network (GEN) 8th September 2020 UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit Activation

• On 7 August, UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit (JEU), in collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), identified and mobilized an oil spill expert.

• From 11 August, working in support of the government and in close collaboration with UNCT and NGO partners

• Emergency phase finished 4 September

Briefing on Ongoing Environmental Emergencies for the Geneva Environment Network (GEN) 8th September 2020 International coordination structure and process

Request for Government of Alert Deployment assistance Mauritius

• Alert on Virtual OSOCC UN Country Team • Offers of experts under Resident Selection • Coordinator • ITOPF • JEU • UN RESPONSE TEAM and IMO UN Response • Team • JEU/IMO expert • NGOs • Disaster Response Regional • WFP Coordination (OCHA) Office • WHO • Legal/police expertise UN • … (UNODC) RESPONSE • Displacement expertise TEAM (IOM) • Mission Support (UNRC)

Briefing on Ongoing Environmental Emergencies for the Geneva Environment Network (GEN) 8th September 2020 Immediate Response

Immediate Response

Key achievements and way forward

• Space and tools to support the national coordination response • Improve overall crisis communication to all segments of population • Provide a neutral and impartial understanding of the oil spill

• Recovery operation and wreck removal • Continued shoreline clean up • Monitoring and Ecosystems assessment • Longer-term projects

Briefing on Ongoing Environmental Emergencies for the Geneva Environment Network (GEN) 8th September 2020 Thank you

Charlotta Benedek Head, UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit [email protected]