14th Intergovernmental Meeting: Resolutions

Fourteenth Intergovernmental Meeting of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan

Toyama (Japan), 8-10 December 2009

Resolutions UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 14/11/Annex 1

Resolution 1 

The Fourteenth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Approves the report of the Executive Director of UNEP on the progress in the implementation of NOWPAP activities during the 2008-2009 biennium,

2. Approves also the reports of the four Regional Activity Centres of NOWPAP (CEARAC, DINRAC, MERRAC and POMRAC) on the progress in the implementation of NOWPAP during the 2008-2009 biennium,

3. Approves further NOWPAP workplan and budget for the 2010-2011 biennium as presented in the following table,

4. Decides that this approved budget may be amended at the next Intergovernmental Meeting, if additional contributions from member states become available,

5. Requests the RAC directors to introduce changes and prioritize their respective activities in line with the approved budget and in consultation with their respective Focal Points. Revised workplans should be circulated by the RCU among member states,

6. Decides to continue the consideration of the evaluation and prioritization of RAC activities at the next IGM,

7. Requests NOWPAP RCU to facilitate the implementation of work by providing support and assistance to the RACs.

NOWPAP workplan and budget (in thousands of US$) for the 2010-2011 biennium as approved by the 14th Intergovernmental Meeting (Toyama, Japan, 8-10 December 2009) 

Activity	Responsibility for Implementation	2010-2011 Budget
CEARAC	CEARAC	107
DINRAC	DINRAC	107
MERRAC	MERRAC	107
POMRAC	POMRAC	107
RAP MALI	RCU	40
GEF PPG	RCU	19
Public Awareness	RCU	19
Coordination of RACs	RCU	16
Operation of RCU	RCU	78
Implementation of NOWPAP	RCU	83
Sub-total		681
13% of the sub-total as Programme Support Cost		89
Total		770

Resolution 2

ENHANCEMENT OF THE NOWPAP RCU PERFORMANCE

Recalling the IGM agreement to review NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU) performance and achievements since its creation in 2005,

Complimenting NOWPAP RCU increasing contribution to executing the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP) with a recognition that its functions could be further enhanced in order to better serve the member states and the region,

Expressing the willingness to enhance the role of the RCU as the main coordinating mechanism for NOWPAP and wishing also to strengthen close cooperation between the RCU and the RACs,

Taking note, with appreciation, of the resulting conclusions and recommendations included in the 2009 RCU performance review submitted to the 14th NOWPAP IGM, 

The Fourteenth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Urges the RCU to perform the overarching responsibility for implementing IGM decisions, including a coordinating role for environmental protection activities among RACs, and a role to assure quality and consistency of projects and deliverables from individual RACs,

2. Encourages the RCU to enhance its preparations to better support the IGM hosting countries substantively and logistically and, inter alia, requests the RCU and RACs to jointly develop and submit more detailed and consistent work plans and budgets as well as a revised resource mobilization strategy, starting with the next IGM,

3. Requests that the RCU and RACs develop a proposal on how to increase the quantity and improve the quality of NOWPAP technical reports and scientific publications as well as work towards a more strategic approach for better communications and enhanced public awareness in the region, and that they report their efforts back to the 15th IGM,

4. Requests the RCU to solicit member states opinions on the necessity and proposals of possible RCU TOR revisions. Also requests RCU to present the results to the next IGM.

5. Requests the RCU to consult with the UNEP CSS on the possibilities for greater financial flexibility for the RCU to independently handle small financial transactions and legal instruments, while bearing in mind that greater flexibility requires greater accountability, verified through periodic audits, and to report the outcome back the 15th IGM. 

Resolution 3

NOWPAP MEDIUM-TERM STRATEGY

Taking in account the new Marine and Coastal Strategy of UNEP and other relevant strategies and activities carried out in the region by other organizations and programmes,

Taking note of the recommendations made by the recent performance review of the RCU and the 2006 review of NOWPAP RACs,

Wishing to develop, establish and eventually execute a NOWPAP Medium-term Strategy that will facilitate an effective and efficient implementation of the Action Plan by the RCU and the RACs,

Wishing also that the agreed upon by all NOWPAP stakeholders Medium-term Strategy will increase NOWPAP relevance, efficiency and effectiveness as a UNEP Regional Seas Programme,

The Fourteenth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Requests the RCU, in close consultation with all RACs, to prepare a draft Medium-term Strate gy for NOWPAP, which will address and include, among others, the following elements:

  i) Relevant decisions of IGMs;

  ii) Relevant recommendations from the RACs review carried out in 2006;

  iii) Relevant recommendations from the recent RCU review (2009);

  iv) Main programmatic and operational elements and thematic areas, including emerging issues;

  v) Any other issue or background document/information that, in the view of the RCU, will facilitate the development and establishment of the Medium-term Strategy.

2. Requests the RCU to present the final draft to the next IGM.

Resolution 4

SUSTAINABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NOWPAP TRUST FUND

Recognizing the need to implement current NOWPAP projects and to initiate new activities,

Sharing the sense of urgency to address the gap between expenditure and contribution level that, if continues, will soon lead NOWPAP Trust Fund to the severe budgetary constraints and diminishing NOWPAP activities,

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

Taking note of resolutions of the 12th and 13th NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meetings on the necessity to increase the contributions from all NOWPAP member states and also taking note of different positions of member states regarding practical possibilities to increase their contributions,

The Fourteenth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Decides to maintain the current tentative scale of contributions of the member states to the NOWPAP Trust Fund as presented in the table below,

2. Encourages the member states to make the utmost efforts to increase their annual contributions in 2010-2011,

3. Urges the member states to pay their unpaid pledges to the Trust Fund as soon as possible,

4. Decides to further discuss this issue, including the sustainability of the Trust Fund, at the next Intergovernmental Meeting.

Scale of tentative contributions 

Member States	Annual contribution (US$)
PRC	40,000
Japan	125,000
ROK	100,000
Russian Federation	50,000
Total	315,000

Resolution 5

NEW PROJECT ON BIODIVERSITY IN THE NOWPAP REGION

Recognising the importance of marine and coastal biodiversity conservation in the NOWPAP region,

Taking into account also that 2010 was designated as the International Year of Biodiversity,

Taking note further that the 10th Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will be held in October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan,

The Fourteenth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Requests the RCU to develop project proposal “Assessment of the current status of marine and coastal biodiversity in the NOWPAP region, including main threats, pressures, impacts and trends, at the ecosystem, community, habitat and key species level“.

2. Requests also to keep member states informed on the progress and ensure that the project is implemented in close collaboration between experts from all members. 

Resolution 6

REGIONAL ACTION PLAN ON MARINE LITTER

Acknowledging the successful start of the implementation of the Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI) in the NOWPAP region, as a successor of the NOWPAP Marine Litter Activity (MALITA), which has been implemented since November 2005,

The Fourteenth Intergovernmental Meeting,

1. Approves, in principle, the draft workplan and budget for NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (2010-2011) as presented in document UNEP/NOWPAP IG. 14/8, taking into account national circumstances of each member state and strict budgetary situation of NOWPAP,

2. Agrees to approve the revised RAP MALI workplan by correspondence in the 2nd quarter of 2010,

3. Requests NOWPAP RCU to implement the NOWPAP RAP MALI as scheduled in close collaboration with the NOWPAP RACs, UNEP and other international organizations and programmes involved,

4. Requests also the NOWPAP member states, RACs and Marine Litter National Focal Points to fully support the implementation of the NOWPAP RAP MALI.