NOWPAP in Action

RO Korea — NOWPAP shares some of the milestones it has achieved in the last quarter of 2007, including the conclusion of the 12th Intergovernmental Meeting participated in by partner organizations, the finalization of the NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter, and its contribution in the fight against the recent oil spill in the Republic of Korea.Joining Hands in Fighting the Oil Spill in RO KoreaPR China, Japan and Russia joined hands in fighting the worst oil spill incident in Korean history after by activating the Northwest Pacific Action Plan's Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan on 10 December 2007. With the assistance from NOWPAP's Marine Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response Regional Activity Centre (MERRAC) and the NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit, China has sent a ship with experts and sorbents on board and Japan has dispatched a team of experts to join the international efforts to help clean up oil spilled off the coast of Taean, Republic of Korea. Since the response operations at sea have come to end and the clean up efforts are now focusing on the shore, NOWPAP deactivated the contingency plan on 14 January 2008. Realizing the risk of oil spills in the region and importance of cooperation among members, NOWPAP plans to have the second joint oil spill exercise in October 2008 in China.Marine Litter Activity: Moving to the Next PhaseAfter more than two years since its inception, the NOWPAP Marine Litter Activity (MALITA) is progressing towards the end of the activity with much success. At a meeting held on 20-21 November in Toyama, Japan, the NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI) was finalized. The finalization of RAP MALI is one of the important outcomes of the NOWPAP MALITA.During the MALITA implementation, NOWPAP has convened several regional workshops and working meetings, set up a marine litter database, compiled regional overviews on the marine litter situation and related legislation and policies, developed a number of guidelines and brochures and launched International Coastal Cleanup campaigns in all the member countries. Those outcomes will be further reflected during the implementation of RAP MALI in the years to comeTwelfth IGM Held in XiamenThe 12th Intergovernmental Meeting of NOWPAP was held on 23-25 October 2007 in Xiamen, PR China. Representatives of the NOWPAP member states (PR China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Russian Federation), UNEP Regional Seas Programme and NOWPAP partners, namely, COBSEA, IOC/WESTPAC, PEMSEA and YSLME participated in the meeting. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea attended the meeting as an observer. The meeting adopted the report of the Executive Director of UNEP on the progress in the implementation of NOWPAP during the 2006-2007 biennium and approved the work plan and budget for 2008-2009. The meeting also approved in principle the NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter, as a major outcome of the NOWPAP Marine Litter Activity (MALITA). The meeting reviewed the evaluation report on the four Regional Activity Centres (RACs) aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the RACs. A Regional Oil and Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) Spill Contingency Plan was also adopted at the meeting.