20th Intergovernmental Meeting: Resolutions

Twentieth Intergovernmental Meeting of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan  

Beijing (People’s Republic of China), 28-30 October 2015 

Resolutions UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 20/12/Annex 1

Resolution 1

Acknowledging RACs and RCU efforts in implementing the NOWPAP 2014-2015 Programme of Work (PoW),

Recognizing the importance of the regional approach to protecting the shared marine environment and sustainable management of natural resources by engaging neighbouring countries in comprehensive and specific regional actions,

Recognizing also the need to initiate new activities in line with the NOWPAP Medium-term Strategy 2012-2017 approved by NOWPAP Member States,

Taking note that 71% of the projects included in the 2014-2015 NOWPAP PoW were implemented on time (comparing with 52% in 2012-2013 biennium) and taking into account the challenges that NOWPAP RACs are facing,

The Twentieth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Approves the Report of the Executive Director of UNEP (UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 20/3) on the progress for the implementation of NOWPAP activities during the 2014-2015 biennium.
2. Approves also the reports of the four Regional Activity Centres of NOWPAP (CEARAC, DINRAC, MERRAC and POMRAC) on the progress for the implementation of NOWPAP Programme of Work during the 2014-2015 biennium.
3. Decides, in order to simplify the administrative process of recruitment of and payment to foreign experts (consultants), to assign the responsibility of implementation of two activities on the development of Ecological Quality Objectives and on the training course on ICARM with a total 2016-2017 biennium budget of US$ 60,000 to DINRAC, while these two activities will be overseen by POMRAC.
4. Approves the NOWPAP Programme of Work (UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 20/10) with the total budget of US$ 950,000 as presented in Table 1.
5. Requests RAC directors, in consultation with their Focal Points, to prepare detailed work plans with quarterly milestones to monitor the progress of implementation in line with the approved budget and NOWPAP 2016-2017 Programme of Work.
6. Requests also RAC Directors when reporting to the NOWPAP IGM to provide summary of their Focal Point Meetings and clearly indicate relevance of their activities to the NOWPAP Medium-term Strategy (MTS) 2012-2017.
7. Requests NOWPAP RCU to facilitate the implementation of work by providing coordination, support and assistance to the RACs and to circulate updated work plans of each RAC (with quarterly milestones) for Member States consideration by correspondence within two months after this Intergovernmental Meeting.
8. Encourages NOWPAP RCU and RACs to continue their best efforts to develop and maintain partnerships with related organizations, programmes and projects.

Table 1. NOWPAP workplan and budget for the 2016-2017 biennium

Activity

Responsibility for implementation

2014-2015 budget (US$ 1,000)

2016-2017 budget (US$ 1,000)

CEARAC

CEARAC

125

140

DINRAC

DINRAC

125

200

MERRAC

MERRAC

125

140

POMRAC

POMRAC

125

80

RAP MALI

RCU and RACs

70

70

Public Awareness

RCU and RACs

29

19

Coordination of RACs

RCU

16

16

Implementation of NOWPAP

RCU

83

83

RCU Operation

RCU

78

78

Resource Mobilization

RCU and RACs

20

15

Sub-total

 

796

841

Programme Support Cost (13% of the sub-total)

 

104

109

TOTAL

 

900

950

 

Resolution 2

SUSTAINABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NOWPAP TRUST FUND AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION

 

Recognizing the need to initiate new activities while implementing current NOWPAP projects,

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

The Twentieth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Agrees to the contributions to the NOWPAP Trust Fund in 2016, as presented in Table 2.
2. Encourages NOWPAP Member States to make their utmost efforts to increase their annual contributions to meet the target amount of US$ 500,000.
3. Encourages the NOWPAP Member States, NOWPAP RCU and RACs to continue seeking additional funding to support NOWPAP activities, particularly in line with NOWPAP MTS 2012-2017.

Table 2. Scale of contributions for 2016

Member States

Annual contribution (US$)

People’s Republic of China

100,000

Japan

125,000

Republic of Korea

125,000

Russian Federation

125,000

Total

475,000

 

Resolution 3

NOWPAP EVOLUTION

Taking note of the discussion related to the recommendations of the UN OIOS audit of NOWPAP RCU carried out in 2014,

Acknowledging that the working capital reserve of 15% has been established for PNL account and two QNL accounts of the NOWPAP Trust Fund,

Taking note also of the discussion on the implementation of the NOWPAP Medium-term Strategy (MTS) 2012-2017 and preparation of the MTS 2018-2023,

The Twentieth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Decides that the Terms of Reference for the restructured NOWPAP RCU will be discussed at the next Intergovernmental Meeting and the issue of RCU performance indicators might be considered after that.
2. Decides that the Medium-term Strategy 2018-2023 should be prepared in close collaboration between Member States, NOWPAP RACs and RCU.

 

Resolution 4

REGIONAL ACTION PLAN ON MARINE LITTER

Acknowledging the negative impacts of marine litter in the NOWPAP region,

Acknowledging also the efforts of Member States to address marine litter problem,

Taking into account that the implementation of the NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI) is in line with national and regional priorities identified by the Member States,

Taking note that most of RAP MALI activities are expected to being implemented at the national and local level, in cooperation with local governments and authorities as well as private sector, research institutions, NGOs and general public,

Complimenting NOWPAP RCU for its efforts working with UNEP GPA office and other relevant organizations and initiatives to expand activities addressing marine litter and its sources,

The Twentieth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Approves NOWPAP RAP MALI work plan (UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 20/8) and budget for the 2016-2017 biennium as presented in Table 3.
2. Encourages NOWPAP Member States to carry out activities to prevent, monitor and remove marine litter at a national and local level through the implementation of the NOWPAP RAP MALI.
3. Requests NOWPAP RACs and RCU to implement the NOWPAP RAP MALI work plan as scheduled in close consultation with UNEP GPA office and other international organizations, projects and programmes involved.

 

Table 3. NOWPAP RAP MALI budget allocations for the 2016-2017 biennium

RAP MALI activities

Budget, US$

2016 NOWPAP ICC campaign and ML WS in Russia

20,000

2017 NOWPAP ICC campaign and ML WS in Japan

20,000

CEARAC: Enhancing NW Pacific regional node of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML)

6,000

DINRAC: Updating and visualizing database on marine litter

6,000

MERRAC: Review and analysis of existing floating marine litter prediction models in the NOWPAP region

6,000

POMRAC: Research on micro-plastics content and migration in the Peter the Great Gulf

6,000

RCU: Travel support and development of public awareness materials

6,000

Total:

70,000