The 18th NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting (IGM) was convened on 4-6 December 2013 in Toyama, Japan. Delegates from NOWPAP member states (China, Japan, Korea and Russia) attended the meeting. Directors of NOWPAP Regional Activity Centres, representatives from UNEP Headquarters and NOWPAP partners (PICES and YSLME) also participated in the meeting. The meeting reviewed the progress of NOWPAP implementation for the last two years and discussed the workplan and budget for the biennium of 2014-2015. Member states agreed on the scale of contribution to the NOWPAP Trust Fund for the next two years reflecting increased Korea contribution starting from 2014. The meeting approved the Agreement of cooperation with International Maritime Organization (IMO) granting NOWPAP observer status at the IMO meetings and conferences. Activities on marine litter and a suggestion to organize a symposium next year to mark the 20th anniversary of NOWPAP were agreed upon. However, some important decisions were not made and member states will continue discussions through correspondence. In this connection, an extraordinary Intergovernmental Meeting might be convened before June of 2014 in Korea. The next regular NOWPAP IGM will be held in Russia in 2014.
In conjunction with the 18th NOWPAP IGM, Toyama Prefecture and the Northwest Pacific Region Environmental Cooperation Center (NPEC) organized a symposium on international cooperation for the environment and the representatives of UNEP and NOWPAP delivered key speeches on global initiatives on oceans and NOWPAP activities under the framework of UNEP Regional Seas Programme.
