The Northwest Pacific Action Plan was adopted in 1994 by the four Member States, namely the People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation as a part of the UNEP Regional Seas Programme. The origin of the Action Plan dates back to 1991 when a regional meeting of experts and national representatives from the four countries was held in Vladivostok to develop a regional seas action plan. The implementation of NOWPAP is financed mainly by contributions from the Members.
The Intergovernmental Meeting (IGM) is the high-level governing body of NOWPAP that provides policy guidance and makes decisions. Hosted annually, it is made up of senior representatives of the NOWPAP Members.
In accordance with the IGM decisions, Regional Activity Centres (RACs) were established between 2000 and 2002 to start their activities afterwards. Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU) was set up in Toyama, Japan and Busan, Korea, in November 2004.
Year
Event
1994
1st Intergovernmental Meeting/IGM (Seoul, Korea): - adopted NOWPAP and three supporting Resolutions including five priority projects
1999
4th IGM (Beijing, China): - agreed to establish four Regional Activity Centres (RACs)
2000
6th IGM (Tokyo, Japan): - agreed in principle to establish a co-hosted NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU) in Toyama, Japan, and Busan, Korea
2002
7th IGM (Vladivostok, Russia): - agreed on the detailed plan for the establishment of the RCU RAC activities got underway
2003
8th IGM (Hainan, China): - adopted the NOWPAP Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan
2004
Opening of the co-hosted NOWPAP RCU, MOU on Regional Co-operation Regarding Preparedness and Response to Oil Spills was signed
2005
10th IGM (Toyama, Japan): - approved new directions of work for RACs - expanded geographical coverage of the NOWPAP Oil Spill Contingency Plan - approved the Marine Litter Activity (MALITA)
2006
11th IGM (Moscow, Russia): - adopted NOWPAP Policy of Data and Information Sharing - decided to evaluate NOWPAP RACs performance
2007
12th IGM (Xiamen, China): - Approved in principle the draft Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter - Approved the draft text of the NOWPAP Regional Oil and HNS Spill Contingency Plan (RCP)
2008
13th IGM (Jeju, Korea): - adopted the NOWPAP Regional Oil and Hazardous and Noxious Substance Spill Contingency Plan - approved the new directions of work for NOWPAP Regional Activity Centres for 2008-2011
2009
14th IGM (Toyama, Japan): -decided to undertake a rapid assessment on marine and coastal biodiversity in the NOWPAP region -decided to develop a NOWPAP Medium-term Strategy -approved in principle the workplan and budget for the NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (2010-2011) -agreed to enhance the NOWPAP RCU role in implementation and coordination of NOWPAP activities
