10th
NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting, 24-26 November
2005, Toyama, Japan
The 10th NOWPAP Intergovernmental
Meeting had been held successfully in Toyama,
Japan on 24-26 November 2005. 36 participants
from NOWPAP member states, United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), NOWPAP Regional Activity Centres
(RACs) and Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU) attended
the meeting. The meeting made the following
decisions:
• To start the Marine Litter
Activity (MALITA) in the NOWPAP region.
• To expand the geographical
coverage of the NOWPAP Oil Spill Regional Contingency
Plan (RCP). In
a few months, the RCP
will cover the area between 33 and 55 degrees
North and from 121 to 145
degrees East.
• To initiate new directions
of work for the NOWPAP RACs (including, among
others, Integrated
Coastal Zone and
River Basin Management; State of Marine Environment
Report; Chemicals
Spills Preparedness
and Response), in addition to NOWPAP activities
related to Harmful Algal
Blooms; River and
Direct Inputs of Contaminants; Oil Spills; Remote
Sensing; and others.
The meeting supported a GEF PDF-B
project proposal to address land-based activities
with focus on persistent toxic substances (PTS).
Cooperation with potential partners in the
region, among other issues, was also discussed.
The 11th IGM will be hosted by the
Russian Federation in 2006.
(posted on 2 December
2005)
Cooperative
relation with PEMSEA established
NOWPAP has developed a cooperative relationship
with PEMSEA since NOWPAP Regional Coordinating
Unit became operational in April 2005. Beginning
with information exchange from both sides, NOWPAP
has been introduced by PEMSEA in its on-line electronic
newsletter and was invited as a member of the
Advisory Committee of PEMSEA East Asian Seas Congress
to be convened on 12-16 December 2006 in Beijing,
People¡¯s Republic of China. NOWPAP is now discussing
with PEMSEA to co-organize a workshop during the
Congress with potential topics on spills of oil
and other hazardous and noxious substances, as
a contribution to the event.
(posted on 19 October
2005)
Cooperation
with YSLME developed
Seeking cooperation with other international
players in the Asia-Pacific region for the protection
and sustainable use of marine and coastal environment
and resources, NOWPAP is building a partnership
with YSLME project in which NOWPAP member states
China and Korea participate. Both sides realize
that there are potential areas where NOWPAP and
YSLME project could contribute and complement
each other during the course of the implementation
of their activities. At the initial stage, NOWPAP
has been invited for meetings and workshops convened
by YSLME project to share and exchange information.
YSLME project manager has visited NOWPAP RCU recently
to discuss cooperation mechanism and a draft memorandum
of understanding which details cooperative activities
to be taken in the future.
(posted on 19 October
2005)
Intersessional
Workshop, 25-26 July 2005, Seoul, ROK
The NOWPAP Intersessional
Workshop was held on 25-26 July 2005 in Seoul,
Republic of Korea. As decided at the 9th Intergovernmental
Meeting (9th IGM, Busan, Republic of Korea, 2004),
the Intersessional Workshop was attended by high
level NOWPAP representatives who discussed a number
of issues ranging from new directions of work
for the NOWPAP Regional Activity Centers and initiation
of the marine litter activity to the sustainable
contributions to the NOWPAP Trust Fund. The Intersessional
Workshop was concluded with several recommendations
on these issues for further consideration at the
upcoming 10th IGM scheduled on 24-26 November
2005 in Toyama, Japan.
