The following priority programme activities were identified by the member states of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP) immediately after its establishment in 1994. These activities either have been completed or are being carried out by NOWPAP Regional Activity Cetres (RACs):

    Establishment of a comprehensive database and information management system;

    Survey of national environmental legislation, objectives, strategies and policies;

    Establishment of a collaborative, regional monitoring programme (carried out by CEARAC and POMRAC together);

    Development of effective measures for regional cooperation in marine pollution preparedness and response;

    Establishment of regional activity centres and their networks.

After the establishment of four Regional Activity Centres (RACs) and their networks in 2000-2002, the RACs have carried out numerous activities; some of the outcomes are as follows:

    Integrated Report on Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), 2005. The latest version has been published in 2011;

    Countermeasures against HABs in the NOWPAP Region (2007);

    Eutrophication Assessment in Selected Sea Areas (2011);

    Integrated Report on Remote Sensing Applications for Marine Environment Monitoring (2005). The latest report has been published in 2011;

    Third NOWPAP/PICES/WESTPAC Joint Training Course on Remote Sensing Data Analysis (2011); previous two training courses were held in 2007 and 2008;

    Guidelines on Eutrophication Monitoring using Remote Sensing (2007);

    Regional Database on Individual Experts;

    Regional Database on Geographic Information Systems (GIS); 

    Regional Database on Marine Protected Areas;

    Regional Database on Remote Sensing Applications; 

    Regional Database on Marine Litter;

    Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan with Extended Geographical Coverage;

    Regional Reports on Shoreline Clean-up, Sensitivity Mapping and Dispersant Applications (2005);

    Regional Overview on Atmospheric Deposition of Contaminants to the Marine and Coastal Environment (2007).  Related Regional Overview on Atmospheric Deposition Models has been published in 2010.  The latest version of this overview was published in 2012;

    Regional Overview on River and Direct Inputs of Contaminants to the Marine and Coastal Environment (2011). The previous versions were published in 2006 and 2009;

    Regional and National Reports on Marine Biodiversity Data and Information (2007);

    Regional Overview and National Reports on Marine and Coastal Nature Reserves (2007);

    Internet Communication System for information on marine environment quality;

    Regional Contingency Plan for Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) as
an integral part of the already existing oil spill contingency plan;

    Integrated Coastal Zone and River Basin Management (ICARM), 2010.  The latest report has been published in 2012;

    State of Marine Environment Reporting (SOMER), 2007.

Several activities have been / are being carried out jointly by several RACs and the Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU):

   UNEP-initiated global assessment of marine and coastal biodiversity

NOWPAP RCU has recruited Dr. Mark Walton as a consultant to implement a rapid assessment, and the input prepared by the consultant has been included in the UNEP global outlook on marine and coastal biodiversity, which was launched at the CBD COP-10. Main part of Dr. Walton report is also available as NOWPAP brochure and poster, which were distributed at major regional and global meetings in 2010-2011, including CBD COP-10.

   Long term biodiversity assessment

NOWPAP RCU has prepared several proposals to implement long-term biodiversity assessment in the region submitted (through different proponents) to Mitsui Foundation, Toyota Foundation and Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN). While developing such proposals, NOWPAP RCU has contacted national experts in NOWPAP member states in order to establish working teams, select project leaders and project proponents. In 2011, the APN has approved the project, “Impacts of Global Warming on Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in the Northwest Pacific” (with a grant of USD 86,000 for two years). The project has been implemented by experts from all NOWPAP member states under the leadership of Dr. Sukgeun JUNG (Jeju National University, Republic of Korea). Project results will be presented to policy makers in China, Japan, Korea and Russia.

   State of Marine Environment report (SOMER)

POMRAC has prepared the first comprehensive review of marine environmental problems in the region in 2007, based on the analysis of data and information from different sources. As approved by the 14th NOWPAP IGM, the second “SOMER” for the NOWPAP region will be completed in 2013-2014.

   Marine Litter Activities

Marine Litter Activity (MALITA) has been completed successfully in 2007 through joint efforts of RACs and RCU and due to strong support by the member states. The next stage of this activity is the NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI) which is being implemented since 2008. Click here to learn more about marine litter activities.

   Regional Overview of legal aspects of the protection and management of the marine and coastal environment of the Northwest Pacific region

This overview was prepared by national experts, published in 2007 and updated in 2010.