UNEP and EC organized a virtual workshop on the Regional Seas Programmes and the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework on 27-28 October 2020. Thirteen Regional Seas (Northwest Pacific, East Asian Seas, South Asian Seas, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Western Indian Ocean, West, Central and Southern Africa, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Northeast Atlantic, Baltic Sea, Arctic, Wider Caribbean, and Southeast Pacific), UN organisations (International Maritime Organization, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, and International Seabed Authority), partners (Institut du développement durable et des relations internationales, GRID-Arendal, UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna, Fishery Commission for Eastern and Central Atlantic) as well as UNEP and EC/European Environment Agency staff participated. Co-Chairs of the Open-ended Working Group on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework also participated on 28 October. 
It was noted that marine elements need to be strengthened in the current GBF. Regional Seas play a critical role to support countries to achieve ocean-related elements of the GBF. UNEP has developed 22 core indicators for the Regional Seas to assess and monitor the state of the marine and coastal environment. Several Regional Seas Programmes and Action Plans contributed to the work of the meeting. The following issues were discussed in detail:
1. Whether the indicators used under the Regional Seas Programmes and Action Plans can be aligned with relevant Sustainable Development Goals and the future post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework indicators
2. Monitoring of the indicators used in the Regional Seas Programmes and Action Plans to measure achievement of regional targets.
3. Data/metadata storage and use
4. Capacity building for developing and monitoring indicators
5. Regional policies needed for the Regional Seas Programmes and Action Plans to take up the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
6. Capacity building for the Regional Seas Programmes and Action Plans to take up policies.
It was pointed out that the selection of appropriate indicators is important; the regional scale is appropriate for some biodiversity elements like marine protected area representativity and highly mobile species. One of the recommendations voiced at the workshop was the creation of regional indicator-based assessments with potential to link to Global Environment Monitoring Systems. It is important to improve data, metadata storage and use; Capacity building for developing and monitoring indicators is critical. It was proposed to develop a Regional Seas mechanism on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans Strategic Directions (2021-2023) was suggested to be streamlined with the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The workshop has also discussed capacity building for the regional seas programmes to take up policies. It was suggested to identify capacity building needs that align with regional targets and goals as well as global frameworks and targets.
