Global Oceans Conference and IOC WESTPAC Intergovernmental Session

Bali, Indonesia — NOWPAP representatives recently attended the 5th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands held on 3-7 May 2010 in Paris, France and the 8th Intergovernmental Session of the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) held on 10-13 May in Bali, Indonesia.At the Paris conference, the NOWPAP representative attended several sessions under the Policy, Science and Technical Symposium related to issues of interest to NOWPAP, such as ecosystem-based adaptation to impacts of climate change, biodiversity conservation, governance of large transboundary marine ecosystems, and the Policy Conference where the outcomes from the symposium, roundtable discussions and working group meetings were presented and 'the way forward' drafted. It was learned in the conference that there are challenges and a long way to go before reaching the 2010 and 2012 biodiversity targets, including the target on having 10 percent of world ocean coverage as protected areas. Using the opportunity, the NOWPAP representative had short meetings with the UNEP MCEB Director, COBSEA Coordinator, GOOS Office representative and other experts. In particular, practical steps to enhance collaboration between NOWPAP and NEAR-GOOS were discussed as well as possibility to have marine and coastal biodiversity forum (suggested by Toyama Prefecture as a side event during CBD COP10) during the "Oceans Day at Nagoya".The 8th Intergovernmental Session of IOC WESTPAC was attended by member states and international organizations which reviewed the programmes and projects implementation since the last WESTPAC Intergovernmental Session, including activities on HAB, ocean remote sensing, oil spill response, NEAR-GOOS, marine and coastal biodiversity (with the focus on invasive species), data and information network (ODIN WESTPAC), which are relevant to NOWPAP. A statement was delivered at the meeting stressing the need for further cooperation between NOWPAP and IOC WESTPAC and suggesting development of joint activities. During the discussion on NEAR-GOOS, the meeting was informed of a recent consultation between the UNEP Regional Seas Programme and IOC GOOS office which encouraged cooperation between NEAR-GOOS and NOWPAP. As a result, a NOWPAP-initiated joint training course on remote sensing data analysis was accepted at the meeting. In addition, NOWPAP was invited to be involved in a newly established WESTPAC working group on Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment. Representatives of DPR Korea indicated that they would like to consider participation in the 15th NOWPAP IGM scheduled later this year in Russia.