The Global Programme of Action aims at preventing the degradation of the marine environment from land-based activities by facilitating the realization of the duty of States to preserve and protect the marine environment. It is designed to assist States in taking actions individually or jointly within their respective policies, priorities and resources, which will lead to the prevention, reduction, control and/or elimination of the degradation of the marine environment, as well as to its recovery from the impacts of land-based activities. Achievement of the aims of the Programme of Action will contribute to maintaining and, where appropriate, restoring the productive capacity and biodiversity of the marine environment, ensuring the protection of human health, as well as promoting the conservation and sustainable use of marine living resources.
The inter-governmental meeting held in Washington, D.C., USA from 23 October to 3 November 1995 attended by 108 governments and the European Commission along with various UN bodies and UN specialized agencies, inter-governmental bodies and non-governmental organizations reviewed, revised the outcomes of Montreal and Reykjavik meetings and adopted the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA).
The GPA is unique in the sense that it is the only global environment initiative directly addressing the connectivity between terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. It is broad in its scope, addressing the source categories of sewage, persistent organic pollutants, radioactive substances, heavy metals, oils (hydrocarbons), nutrients, sediment mobilization, litter, and the physical alteration and destruction of habitats.
Regional Seas and GPA
The GPA plays an active role within the Regional Seas programmes and a great deal of progress has been achieved by the regional programmes in addressing LBA
During the period 1996-1999, UNEP convened eight regional workshops of government-designated experts, within the framework of its Regional Seas Programme. The workshops discussed and finalized regional assessments on land-based activities, including prioritization of sources of pollution both at the national and regional levels; discussed the development of the regional components of the clearing-house mechanism; and reached, in most cases, agreement on non-binding regional programmes of action on land-based activities, as a planning tool. Regional programmes of action, as planning or implementation tools, were developed, with the support of the GPA Coordination Office, in the following regions: South-East Pacific, ROPME Sea Area, East Asian Seas, Eastern Africa, West and Central Africa, Upper South-West Atlantic, South Pacific, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and South Asian Seas
GPA has also partnered with the RSCAP on:
- Eight regions (the Black Sea, Eastern Africa, Mediterranean, ROPME Sea Area, the Wider Caribbean, West and Central African region, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and the South-East Pacific have adopted Protocols on LBA).
- The Mediterranean, ROPME Sea Area, Wider Caribbean, East Asian Seas, Black sea, South-East Pacific, Eastern Africa, North-West Pacific, Arctic, West and Central African region, Baltic and the North-East Atlantic regions have ongoing monitoring programmes for the collection of data on LBA and their impact on the coastal and marine environment;
- The Mediterranean, ROPME Sea Area, Wider Caribbean, East Asian Seas, Pacific region, North-West Pacific, West and Central African region, South-East Pacific, Eastern Africa, Black sea, Arctic, Baltic and the North-East Atlantic regions have prepared LBA assessments.
- Nearly all of the regions have ongoing or have prepared regional programmes on LBA, of which 11 have been adopted in the Mediterranean, East Asian seas, Wider Caribbean, North West Pacific, Pacific region, ROPME Sea Area, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Black sea, Arctic, Baltic and North-East Atlantic regions.
- Further to this, National Programmes on LBA are also active in some of the Regional Seas programmes.
For more, please visit their website: https://www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/oceans-seas/what-we-do/addressing-land-based-pollution/governing-global-programme
