Activities on Biodiversity Assessment

14th NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting decided to develop a project on assessment of the current status of marine and coastal biodiversity in the NOWPAP region, which should cover the main threats, pressures, impacts and trends at the ecosystem, community, habitat and key species level.    Implementing this decision, NOWPAP RCU, together with RACs, has been working on preparation of the project.  As a first step, NOWPAP is participating in the UNEP-initiated global outlook on marine and coastal biodiversity, contributing regional input.  A consultant is being contracted, using funds provided by UNEP, to collect and compile regional data and information to be reflected in the global assessment.  This global outlook is due to be released for the upcoming 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10) in October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan.  At the same time, NOWPAP RCU is preparing a proposal for long term biodiversity assessment which will involve NOWPAP national experts to produce a regional report on the biodiversity issues mentioned above.  Currently project proposal is being drafted, competent experts and project proponent to be involved are being selected as well as potential donors for the project funding.   The results of the biodiversity assessment activities will be reported to the 15th NOWPAP IGM later this year.