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North-West Pacific
Dr Ellik Adler, Interim Coordinator for NOWPAP (2000-2004),
Coordinator, Regional Seas Programme, UNEP
The North-West Pacific Region is vast and features a large
variety of marine and coastal ecosystems, from cold and
deep water ecosystems in the north, to tropical coral reefs
in the south. The region comprises semi-enclosed marginal
seas situated in both the sub-polar and temperate zones
with spectacular marine life, commercially important fishing
and mariculture grounds, and rich offshore mineral resources
such as oil. However, some parts of the region are among
the most highly populated areas of the world, resulting
in enormous pressures and demands on the environment. Its
people are particularly dependant on the sea for their food
and livelihoods. Yet their health and the health of their
environment are under growing threat, mainly from land-based
activities and other sources of pollution.
Coastal development, industry, transport, oil production
and activities such as land reclamation and intensive mariculture
take an ever-greater toll on coastal ecosystems. Chemical
and industrial wastes, untreated municipal sewage, agricultural
pesticides and nutrients in run-off cause widespread damage
and stimulate eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. Added
to these are oil pollution from wastewaters and accidental
spills, atmospheric pollution and marine and coastal litter.
The countries of the region, realized that by joining
forces they could strike a wise balance between the provision
for human needs, use of resources, and economic development
on one hand, and the protection, enhancement and sustainability
of the environment on the other. In 1991 a regional meeting
of experts and national representatives from the People’s
Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the
Russian Federation was held in Vladivostok, in order to
develop the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP). The
meeting agreed on a work plan and timetable towards the
preparation of the regional Action Plan that would lead
to the establishment of a Regional Seas programme in the
region.
During the 1st Intergovernmental Meeting in 1994, the
four countries adopted the Action Plan for the Protection,
Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment
of the Northwest Pacific and established the NOWPAP Trust
Fund.
The Action Plan focuses on the wise use, development and
management of the coastal and marine environment in order
to achieve the greatest long-term benefit for the human
populations of the region while protecting human health
and ecological integrity for future generations. The plan
incorporates several priority projects to be implemented
through a network of Regional Activity Centres (RACs). Currently,
four RACs are in operation: The Special Monitoring and Coastal
Environment Assessment RAC (CEARAC) in Toyama, Japan; the
Data and Information Network RAC (DINRAC) in Beijing, China;
the Marine Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response
RAC (MERRAC) in Daejon, Republic of Korea and the Pollution
Monitoring RAC (POMRAC) in Vladivostok, Russian Federation.
These centres are responsible for carrying out their activities
at the regional level and serve all members of NOWPAP.
NOWPAP’s Regional Co-ordinating Unit (RCU), which
is administered by UNEP, was inaugurated in November 2004
and is co-hosted by Japan (in Toyama) and the Republic of
Korea (in Busan) and serves as nerve centre and command
post for the Action Plan’s activities. NOWPAP is a
young programme, with challenging goals for the coming years:
to develop regional monitoring and assessment activities;
to develop public outreach and environmental education;
to implement and further develop a Regional Contingency
Plan for Oil Spills which was signed and adopted by NOWPAP
members in November 2004 and to prepare a regional Strategic
Action Plan to Abate Pollution from Land-based Activities
including the mitigation of the marine and coastal litter.
In the longer run NOWPAP may adopt activities aimed at
the protection of the marine and coastal biodiversity, sustainable
development, integrated coastal and river basin management,
ecosystem-based management, etc. NOWPAP will serve as a
regional platform for the implementation of Multilateral
Environmental Agreements and other global programmes and
initiatives concerning the sustainable management of the
marine and coastal environment.
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