12th Intergovernmental Meeting: Resolutions

Twelfth Intergovernmental Meeting of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan

Xiamen (People’s Republic of China), 23-25 October 2007

Resolutions UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 12/11/Annex I

Resolution 1 

The Twelfth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Approves the report of the Executive Director of UNEP on the progress in the implementation of NOWPAP activities during the 2006-2007 biennium,

2. Approves also the reports of the four Regional Activity Centres of NOWPAP (CEARAC, DINRAC, MERRAC and POMRAC) on the progress in the implementation of NOWPAP during the 2006-2007 biennium,

3. Approves further NOWPAP workplan and budget for the 2008-2009 biennium as presented in the following table,

4. Decides that this approved budget may be amended at the next Intergovernmental Meeting, if necessary,

5. Requests the RAC directors to introduce changes and prioritize their respective activities in line with the approved budget and in consultation with their respective Focal Points Meetings on priority activities,

6. Requests NOWPAP RCU to facilitate the implementation of work by providing support and assistance to the RACs,

7. Takes note of the RACs evaluation report (UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 12/6) and requests NOWPAP RCU and RAC directors to implement NOWPAP activities and projects more effectively, efficiently and in a cooperative manner, taking into account strict budgetary situation and recommendations of the RACs evaluation report,

8. Requests RCU to prepare the Terms of Reference for RCU evaluation, in close consultation with UNEP and NOWPAP member states, and decides to discuss the RCU evaluation at the next Intergovernmental Meeting. 

NOWPAP workplan and budget for the 2008-2009 biennium as approved by the 12th Intergovernmental Meeting in Xiamen, People’s Republic of China, 23-25 October 2007 

Activity

Responsibility for

Implementation 

2008-2009 Budget  CEARAC CEARAC 140 DINRAC DINRAC 140 MERRAC MERRAC 140 POMRAC POMRAC 140 RAP MALI RCU 50 GEF PPG RCU 24 Public Awareness RCU 25 Coordination of RACs  RCU 20 Operation of RCU  RCU 100 Implementation of NOWPAP RCU 106 Sub-total   885 13% of the sub-total as Programme Support Cost     115 Total   1000

Resolution 2

SUSTAINABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NOWPAP TRUST FUND

Recognizing the need to implement current NOWPAP projects and to initiate new activities,

Also recognizing the necessity to increase the total amount of contributions of the NOWPAP member states to the NOWPAP Trust Fund to the target amount of US$500,000, as agreed at the 2nd Intergovernmental Meeting,

Taking note of resolution 2 of both 10th and 11th NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meetings on the necessity to increase the contributions from all NOWPAP member states and also taking note of different positions of member states regarding practical possibilities to increase their contributions,

The Twelfth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. In view of current budget constraints, decides to reduce the funding for activities in the 2008- 2009 biennium, as reflected in the Resolution 1.

2. Decides also to endorse the following tentative scale of contributions to the Trust Fund for activities in the 2008-2009 biennium, 

Member States Annual contribution (US$)  PRC 40,000 Japan 125,000 Korea 100,000 Russian Federation 50,000 Total 315,000

3. Requests the UNEP Executive Director to extend the NOWPAP Trust Fund until 31 December 2011.

4. Encourages the member states to make the utmost efforts to increase their annual contributions in 2009-2010 and urges the member states to pay their pledges to the Trust Fund on time,

5. Encourages NOWPAP RCU, RACs, the NOWPAP member states and the Executive Director of UNEP to make all possible efforts to secure funds from external sources to the Trust Fund, including civil society, private sector, local governments, international and regional organizations and financial institutions, as well as to utilize the resources available in the most efficient and effective manner,

6. Decides to further discuss this issue at the next Intergovernmental Meeting, 

Resolution 3

ROTATION OF COORDINATOR AND DEPUTY COORDINATOR BETWEEN TOYAMA AND BUSAN RCU OFFICES

Taking into account resolution 4 of the Seventh Intergovernmental Meeting on the establishment of the NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU),

The Twelfth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Agrees to undertake the rotation of Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator between the RCU Toyama and Busan office in December 2008 - January 2009,

2. Requests NOWPAP RCU to undertake the rotation in consultation with UNEP and member states, and in accordance with UN rules and regulations. 

Resolution 4

REGIONAL ACTION PLAN ON MARINE LITTER

Acknowledging the development of the draft Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI) in the NOWPAP region as an important outcome of the NOWPAP Marine Litter Activity (MALITA), which has been successfully implemented since November 2005,

The Twelfth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Approves, in principle, the draft NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 12/7/2), taking into account national circumstances of each member state and strict budgetary situation of NOWPAP, as a next phase of NOWPAP MALITA,

2. Decides that the member states provide their comments on RAP MALI in a written form by 6 November 2007, 2 weeks prior to the RAP MALI meeting (Toyama, Japan, 20-21 November 2007),

3. Requests RCU to revise RAP MALI, taking into account comments to be provided by the member states and by participants of the RAP MALI meeting, and to prepare detailed workplan and budget,

4. Agrees to approve the revised RAP MALI by correspondence,

5. Requests NOWPAP RCU to implement the NOWPAP RAP MALI as scheduled in close collaboration with the NOWPAP RACs, UNEP and other international organizations and programmes involved,

6. Requests also the NOWPAP member states, RACs and Marine Litter National Focal Points to fully support the implementation of the NOWPAP RAP MALI. 

Resolution 5

NOWPAP GEF PROJECT PROPOSAL

Taking note of the NOWPAP GEF project proposal on addressing land-based activities that affect the marine and coastal environment of the Northwest Pacific region, developed according to the Resolution 4 of the Ninth Intergovernmental Meeting,

The Twelfth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Requests the NOWPAP RCU to submit the project proposal to GEF Secretariat for the pipeline entry in 2008, in consultation with the UNEP DGEF and member states,

2. Requests RCU to keep close contact with UNEP DGEF in order to explore the opportunities to develop a new project proposal, in consultation with the member states and in line with the GEF priorities. 

Resolution 6

NOWPAP REGIONAL OIL AND HNS SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN

Recognising the serious threat posed to the marine environment by oil and hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) pollution incidents involving ships, offshore units, ports and terminals, etc.,

Bearing in mind that, in the event of an oil or HNS pollution incident, prompt and effective action is essential in order to minimise the damage which may result from such an incident,

Taking note of the necessity and importance of the NOWPAP Regional Oil and HNS Spill Contingency Plan (RCP), which specifies operational procedures related to cooperation in case of emergency (this RCP is based on the NOWPAP Oil Spill Contingency Plan adopted in 2003),

The Twelfth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Approves the draft text of the NOWPAP Regional Oil and HNS Spill Contingency Plan (RCP) with minor modifications,

2. Agrees in principle that the RCP will enter into effect on the date of adoption of the NOWPAP IGM Agreement (based on the MOU signed by the member states in 2004-2005) on this iss ue,

3. Requests the NOWPAP MERRAC and its Focal Points Meeting to prepare and distribute the draft text of the Agreement to the member states during the intersessional period for comme nts, aiming to adopt it at the Thirteenth Intergovernmental Meeting.