| International Marine Science and Technology |
|
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Seas Programme
(Established 1974)| Headquarters: | UNEP Regional Seas Programme |
| Water Branch | |
| PO Box 30552 | |
| Nairobi, Kenya | |
| Telephone: | (254) 2 62 2788 |
| Fax: | (254) 2 62 2035 |
| Email: | water@unep.org |
| Web Site: | http://www.unep.org/water/regseas/regseas.htm |
Status
United Nations Programme.
Background
UNEP's integrated water programme consists of four sub-programmes; namely the Environmentally Sound Management of Inland Water (EMINWA), the GLOBAL Environment Monitoring System/Water (GEMS/Water), the Integrated Coastal Areas Management (ICAM) and the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (GPA). The conference to adopt a Global Programme of Action took place in November 1995 in Washington. Implementation of the GPA takes place through UNEP's Regional Seas Programme and government support. UNEP Water Branch provides a secretarial role to the GPA and is responsible for implementing and maintaining the Regional Seas Programme.
Mission
The Regional Seas Programme was established in 1974 to manage marine and coastal resources, control marine pollution and develop action plans through regional components. Agenda 21, the UN General Assembly and the Governing Council of UNEP have endorsed the regional approach.
Activities
The Regional Seas Programme currently consists of 13 individual programmes worldwide, with over 140 coastal states and territories participating. Each programme is tailored to the specific needs of its shore line participants, but is made up of similar components:
an Action Plan for cooperation on management, protection, rehabilitation, development, monitoring and research of coastal and marine resources;
an inter-governmental agreement of a framework convention embodying general principles and obligations;
detailed protocols dealing with particular problems, such as oil spills, dumping, emergency cooperation and protected areas.
Funds for these activities come initially from UNEP and then from trust funds set up by the governments involved.
The Regional Seas Programme is comprised of the following Action Plans:
| 1 | Mediterranean Action Plan |
| 2 | Caribbean Action Plan |
| 3 | Kuwait Action Plan |
| 4 | West and Central African Plan (WACAF) |
| 5 | South East Pacific Action Plan (SEPCF) |
| 6 | Gulf of Aden and Red Sea Action Plan |
| 7 | South Pacific Action Plan (SPREP) |
| 8 | East Asian Seas Action Plan |
| 9 | East African Action Plan |
| 10 | South Asian Seas Action Plan |
| 11 | North West Pacific Action Plan |
| 12 | Black Sea Action Plan |
| 13 | South West Atlantic Plan |
Programmes of action are also implemented in certain regions which are not formally part of the UNEP Regional Seas Programme, such as that for the north east Atlantic (OSPAR Convention, the Baltic Sea area (HELCOM) and the Arctic Marine Environment PAME).
In order to develop regional programmes of action for the implementation of the GPA on land-based activities, a series of regional technical workshops have been held since 1996. These have been attended by government appointed experts, representatives of UN agencies, regional development banks, international financing institutions, the private sector and non-governmental organisations. They have sought to (a) discuss and finalise the regional overviews on land-based activities, including prioritisation of sources of pollution both at the national and regional level; (b) discuss and agree on the development of the regional components of the clearing-house mechanism; and (c) reach agreement on regional programmes of action to address the impacts of land-based activities upon the aquatic environment. Additional workshops are planned during 1998.
The Regional Seas Programme takes advantage of an integrated global ocean monitoring programme undertaken by the UN Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP)
Other UNEP activities with a marine dimension include the Global International Waters Assessment (GIWA) to develop a global assessment of water resources, focussing primarily on freshwater systems and coastal areas. The purpose of GIWA is to identify significant water related diseases and to analyse the underlying root cause of these.
United Kingdom Interests
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has the policy lead on the UN Environment Programme, heading the United Kingdom delegation to the Government Council and paying the annual UK subscription. When marine matters come before the Council, the delegation is advised by the Marine and Waterways Division of Defra in consultation with other bodies as appropriate.
Lead Department
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
Marine and Waterways Division, Water and Land Directorate, Zone 3B, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6DE.
Contact: Robert Canning. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7944 5307 Email:
robert.canning@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Other Interested Departments and Organisations
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AH.
The Department for International Development, 1 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5HE
Additional Information
The Coordination Office for UNEP's Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land Based Activities (GPA) was opened in The Hague on 24 November 1997 and has been operational since the beginning of 1998. An informal inter-governmental consultation to review the current status and further steps towards implementation of the GPA, including the Regional Seas Programme, was held in The Hague from 11–12 May 1998.
The contact address for the Coordination Office is
as follows: UNEP/GPA Coordination Office, PO Box 16227, 2500 BE The Hague, The
Netherlands.
Telephone: +31 70 31 14660; Fax: +31 70 34 56648, Email:
gpa@unep.nl Web Site:
http://www.gpa.unep.org