The network of NOWPAP Regional Activity Centres and their Terms of Reference were adopted by the decisions of the Fourth NOWPAP IGM in 1999. NOWPAP has four Centres: Special Monitoring and Coastal Environment Assessment Regional Activity Centre (CEARAC), Data and Information Network Regional Activity Centre (DINRAC), Marine Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response Regional Activity Centre (MERRAC), and Pollution Monitoring Regional Activity Centre (POMRAC).
Special Monitoring and Coastal Environment Assessment Regional Activity Centre (CEARAC)
Hosted by the Northwest Pacific Region Environmental Cooperation Center (NPEC), CEARAC was established in April 1999 in Toyama, Japan, under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. CEARAC is responsible for the coordination of regional activities for assessment of the state of the marine, coastal and associated freshwater environments, including marine biodiversity and land-based sources of pollution. CEARAC is involved in the development of assessment and planning tools, including monitoring of biological effects of pollutants, use of remote sensing for monitoring purposes and use of new monitoring techniques.
Its current activities are focused on monitoring and assessments of marine and coastal biodiversity, harmful algal blooms, eutrophic areas and land-based sources of marine litter, including microplastic. CEARAC continues developing new monitoring tools for seagrass distribution and building regional capacity for remote sensing.
5-5 Ushijimashin-machi, Toyama, Japan
Tel : (81) 76-445-1571
Fax: (81) 76-445-1581
Read more about CEARAC and its activities here.
Data and Information Network Regional Activity Centre (DINRAC)
DINRAC is based in the China-ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center (CAEC) of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing. The objectives of DINRAC are to develop a region-wide data and information exchange network, to promote regional cooperation and exchange of information on the marine and coastal environment in the NOWPAP region and eventually to serve as a NOWPAP Clearinghouse.
DINRAC maintains various NOWPAP databases, publications and GIS-based maps and information on its web portal. In 2017 it was nominated by the Member States to host the Northwest Pacific Regional Node of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, hosted previously by the Northwest Pacific Region Environmental Cooperation Center (NPEC) in Japan. DINRAC continues playing an important role in gathering and maintaining environmental and biodiversity datasets, inventory of institutions and environmental laws and regulations, and other information sources in the region.
No.5 Houyingfang Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100035
Tel: +86 10 82268244, 82268262
Fax: +86 10 82200579
Read more about DINRAC and its activities here.
Marine Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response Regional Activity Centre (MERRAC)
Established in the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO) of Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KRISO/KIOST) in Daejeon, the Republic of Korea, MERRAC is a joint center of the United Nations Environment Programme and the International Maritime Organization to develop effective regional cooperative measures in response to marine pollution incidents including oil and hazardous and noxious substance (HNS) spills. MERRAC also gathers information and delivers assessments on marine-based sources of marine litter.
MERRAC is functioning as secretariat for the NOWPAP MERRAC Focal Points Meetings, Competent National Authorities Meeting, Expert Meetings, and the NOWPAP Regional Oil and HNS Spill Contingency Plan. MERRAC also manages MERRAC specific projects.
P.O. Box 23, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-343 Republic of Korea
Tel : (82) 42-866-3638
Fax: (82) 42-866-3630
Read more about MERRAC and its activities here.
Pollution Monitoring Regional Activity Centre (POMRAC)
Located at the Pacific Geographical Institute (PGI) of the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Vladivostok, Russian Federation, POMRAC is responsible for cooperative measures related to atmospheric deposition of contaminants and direct inputs of contaminants to the marine and coastal environment with river discharge. Since 2007, POMRAC started a new project on the integrated coastal zone and river basin management.
The Centre coordinates NOWPAP activities related to the development of Ecological Quality Objectives and indicators and produces regular State of the Marine and Coastal Environment Reports. Recently, POMRAC activities started addressing marine litter issues, including the assessment of microplastics inputs with river discharge in the NOWPAP region.
7 Radio Street, Vladivostok 690041 Russian Federation
Tel : (7) 4232-312833
Fax: (7) 4232-312833
Read more about POMRAC activities here.
