NOWPAP hosted Global Meeting of Regional Seas

On 3-5 October 2011, the 13th Global Meeting of Regional Seas was held in Busan, Republic of Korea, hosted by NOWPAP. Representatives of 10 Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans (from as far away as SE Pacific, Caribbean, NE Atlantic and Baltic Sea), UNEP Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Branch and GPA (Global Programme of Action for the Protection of Marine Environment from Land-based Activities) Coordinating Office participated in the meeting. The major issues discussed were as follows:  - Third Intergovernmental Review Meeting (IGR-3) of the GPA;  - Regular process for global reporting and assessment of the state of marine environment, including socio-economic aspects;  - United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20);  - Updates from the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans.  Meeting participants have prepared a joint statement to be brought to the IGR-3 in Manila in January 2012 as well as their participation in the associated Global Conference on Land-Oceans Connections to be held back-to-back with the IGR-3. Possibility to organize Regional Seas (RS) side event at the Rio+20 Conference was also considered as well as other forms of contribution. The last day was devoted to the discussions on current activities (including close cooperation among individual RS programmes) and future developments of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans.  The next Global Meeting of Regional Seas in 2012 and 2013 will be hosted respectively by the Mediterranean Action Plan and the Caribbean Environment Programme.