14th NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting

The 14th NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting was held from 8 to 10 December 2009 in Toyama, Japan. Representatives of NOWPAP member states (China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Russian Federation) participated in this annual meeting. Representatives from UNEP and from NOWPAP partners (COBSEA, PICES, and YSLME) also attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed the implementation of NOWPAP in 2008-2009 and discussed the major NOWPAP activities in the coming two years.  In addition to the work plan and budget for 2010-2011, the meeting has approved the following activities/documents: •   development of a project on assessment of the current status of marine and coastal biodiversity in the NOWPAP region; •   preparation of the NOWPAP medium-term strategy to facilitate its effective and efficient implementation, •   the draft work plan and budget for implementing NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI), •   further enhancement of the NOWPAP RCU role in the smooth implementation of NOWPAP, including possible revision of RCU Terms of Reference. The next NOWPAP IGM will be held in Russia in the second half of 2010.