A.    Introduction

 

The Global Programme of Action: 

In 1995, 108 Governments and the European Commission adopted the GPA.  The GPA targets major threats to the health, productivity and biodiversity of the marine and coastal environment resulting from human activities on land.  The GPA proposes an integrated, multi-sectoral approach based on commitment to action at local, national, regional and global levels.  It is the only global mechanism explicitly addressing the linkages between freshwater, coastal and marine environments.

 

The GPA has catalysed many governments around the world to build institutional capacities, and review legislative frameworks and environmental policies for the sustainable management of the marine and coastal environment.  The GPA has raised international awareness and facilitated action to address the environmental dimension of urban sanitation and municipal wastewater, and the physical alteration and destruction of habitats.  The GPA is recognised as a valuable tool for achieving internationally agreed goals and targets, including those associated with the Millennium Declaration.  This was reaffirmed in Paragraph 33 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) which, in addition to endorsing the GPA, calls upon States to: “Make every effort to achieve substantial progress by the next GPA conference in 2006 to protect the marine environment from land-based activities”.  The Mauritius Strategy on Small Island Developing States also calls for the full implementation of the GPA.

 

The First Intergovernmental Review Meeting (IGR-1) was held in Montreal, Canada in November 2001.  More than 300 participants from over 80 countries took part in the meeting.  IGR-1 was instrumental in developing the GPA such that it is now recognised as a valuable tool for furthering ecosystem approaches to coasts, oceans and island management.  Please see www.gpa.unep.org for IGR-1 documentation.

 

The Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting of the GPA (IGR-2): 

Representatives from governments, inter-governmental organisations, NGOs and other groups are expected to participate in a highly inter-active and results orientated meeting.

 

The objectives of IGR-2 are to:

1.     Strengthen implementation of the GPA and contribute to the achievement of the JPOI 2006 target:  Review progress made in implementation of the GPA thus far and identify options for increasing implementation at global, regional and national levels in the future, with a particular focus on increasing national implementation of the GPA;

 

2.     Define the programme of work for the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office for the period 2007-2011:  Review activities undertaken thus far and chart a course of action for the next five-year period, with an effort to reflect the ‘partnership approach’ of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to build on the UNEP Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building, and to strengthen cooperation with the UNEP Regional Seas Programme, the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), the Global Environment Facility, UN-Oceans, UN-Water, and other relevant bodies; 

 

3.     Contribute to the International Decade for Action: ‘Water is Life’, 2005-2015:  Identify joint activities to support the objectives of the Decade;

 

4.     Forward ecosystem approaches and contribute to the achievement of the JPOI 2010 target:  Provide practical input to the implementation of the JPOI 2010 ecosystem approach to coast and ocean management;

 

5.     Contribute to the achievement of the JPOI 2015 target for sanitation:  Help maintain momentum in addressing the 2015 JPOI sanitation targets, particularly as it relates to the collection, treatment, reuse and reallocation to the natural environment of municipal wastewater.

B.    Focus and expected outcomes of IGR-2

 

Day 1:  National Programmes – Implementation in Action

 

Managing the impacts of land-based sources of marine pollution is primarily the responsibility of governments and this can be achieved through innovative national level activities.  Over 60 countries have initiated GPA National Programmes of Action (NPAs) and IGR-2 will provide a forum to share experience and good practice in policy development and implementation, and discuss alternative action-oriented approaches to implement the GPA. 

 

Three breakout sessions will be organised around the theme of “The Way Forward for National Programmes of Action (NPAs)”.  These sessions will focus on financing mechanisms and resource mobilization; strengthening legislative and institutional frameworks, and enforcement and compliance; and governance and public participation in decision-making.

 

Inputs to Day 1:

·        New Policy Directions for the GPA (official document)

·        GPA NPA Handbook (supporting document)

·        Status Report of NPAs (supporting document)

·        Regional and national ICZM practices (supporting document)

·        ICARM (Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management) Casebook (supporting document)

·        Issues paper for the breakout sessions “The Way Forward for NPAs” (supporting document)

·        Countries and NGOs are invited to submit voluntary contributions on their implementation of the GPA.  All contributions received by the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office before the end of August 2006 will be posted on the UNEP/GPA IGR-2 Website.

 

Outcomes of Day 1:  Review of what has been achieved at the national level, and greater awareness of best practice and new approaches.  Each breakout session will produce a short summary that will be brought to the Ministerial Segment.

 

Day 2:  Partnerships- Mainstreaming the GPA

 

Over 20 partnerships will be invited to take the lead in organising a breakout session to discuss progress made and concrete results achieved in their partnership, and to highlight future work plans and needs.  These sessions will highlight how the objectives of the GPA are being mainstreaming through a wide variety of partnerships at global, regional and national levels and between different stakeholders.  

 

Inputs to Day 2: Each partnership will complete a template information sheet that will be posted on the UNEP/GPA IGR-2 Website by April 2006.  Please see www.gpa.unep.org for partnership information.  Other input includes the Large Marine Ecosystem (LMEs) Report (supporting document).

 

Outcomes of Day 2:  Greater understanding of the results achieved through existing partnerships.  Each partnership will prepare a short summary that will be brought to the Ministerial Segment.

 

Day 3:  Implementing a Common Agenda 

 

Discussions will examine the broader context in which GPA is operational including the approach outlined in the UNEP Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building and the UNDG, collaboration with the Regional Seas Programmes, the goals and targets set by the international community in these areas, and review the barriers to and opportunities for further action.

 

Inputs to Day 3:

·        UNEP/GPA Coordination Office Programme of Work (PoW) 2007 – 2011 based on inputs received during IGR-2 PrepCom Meeting to be held in June 2006.

·        Strategic Action Plan on Wastewater Casebook (supporting document)

·        Municipal Wastewater Training Manual (supporting document)

·        Measuring Progress in Integrated Management of Catchments and Coasts Report (supporting document)

 

Outcomes of Day 3:  Approved and widely supported UNEP/GPA Coordination Office PoW for the period 2007 – 2011 which includes the contribution of GPA to key international goals and targets such as the International Decade for Action: ‘Water is Life’, 2005-2015; the ecosystem approach as per the JPOI 2010 target; and, the sanitation target of the JPOI 2015.

 

 

 

Day 4 and 5:  High-Level Ministerial Segment + Multi-Stakeholder Regional Event

 

Ministerial Segment:

Ministers will discuss and debate actions required on a number of priority issues, including those outlined in the 2005 State of the Environment Report relevant to GPA issues, and will chart a course to ensure the achievement of the internationally recognised goals and targets outlined above. 

 

Session 1:  From Hilltops to Oceans - Ministers will briefly highlight their three top priority issues and a Moderator will encourage discussion with a view to forming a consensus on global priorities.

 

Session 2:  Setting the Global Agenda - Following a report back from Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 proceedings, Ministers will discuss strategic directions and operational modalities necessary to move forward based on a shared understanding of priority issues.   

 

Inputs to Ministerial Segment:  include the following:

·        An Issues paper for each session (supporting document)

·        2005 State of the Environment Report Relevant to GPA Issues (supporting document)

·        The economic valuation of goods & services for Large Marine Ecosystems (supporting document)

·        ICARM (Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management) Casebook (supporting document)

 

Outcomes of Ministerial Segment:  Consensus reached on key strategic directions to take in the immediate term to meet global goals and targets and to address priority issues.  The Ministerial Segment will culminate in the endorsement of the IGR-2 Beijing Ministerial Declaration and the Chairman’s Summary.

 

Multi-Stakeholder Regional Event:

In parallel with the Ministerial Segment, five Regional dialogue sessions will be held focusing on key priorities and barriers to action in the regions.  A diverse range of stakeholders, programmes (e.g. Convention Secretariats) and initiatives will be brought together under the leadership of the UNEP Regional Offices and Regional Seas Programmes.

 

Inputs to Multi-Stakeholder Regional Event:  include the following supporting documents:

·        Report on how to use LBA Protocols to strengthen the legal implementation of the GPA

·        Review of Regional Seas

·        Large Marine Ecosystem (LMEs) Report

·        The economic valuation of goods & services for Large Marine Ecosystems

·        Proceedings from 7^th Regional Seas Meeting 

·        Regional and national ICZM practices

·        ICARM (Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management) Casebook

 

Outcomes of Multi-Stakeholder Regional Event:  Greater consensus on joint priorities and partnership activities necessary in each region.  Each regional session will report back to Day 5 of the Ministerial Segment.

 

C.    IGR-2 Preparatory Process

 

The UNEP/GPA Coordination Office has begun a series of consultations involving a wide range of stakeholders to obtain feedback and ensure that all relevant constituencies are fully involved in the IGR-2 process.  Please see Section D for a list of the official and supporting documents being prepared for the IGR-2.  The following events/networks have been or will soon be occasions to gather feedback on IGR-2 preparations:

 

®     The Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands:  This global alliance of leading ocean experts from governmental, nongovernmental and international and intergovernmental sectors is a key partner of the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office and continues to be actively involved in the preparations for the IGR-2.  Events where input to the IGR-2 has been or will be facilitated include: 

·        TOPS 2005, The Ocean Policy Summit held in Lisbon in October 2005.

·        Workshop on Freshwater–Ocean Linkages, 10 – 11 January, Mexico City

·        Third Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands “Moving the Global Oceans Agenda Forward”, to take place at UNESCO in Paris from 23 – 28 January 2006.

 

®     UN-Oceans and UN-Water Task Force:  This joint task force comprised of key UN Agencies involved in oceans and freshwater activities will provide substantive input to IGR-2.

 

®     UNEP-wide involvement:  The Regional Seas Programmes, UNEP Regional Offices and other UNEP Divisions will continue to play a key role in the IGR-2 preparations.  Events where input to the IGR-2 has been or will be facilitated include:

·        Feedback received during the Regional Seas and UNEP Regional Directors meeting held in Helsinki in October 2005.

·        9^th Special Session UNEP Governing Council/GMEF meeting in Dubai from 7 – 9 February 2006.

 

®  Consultative meetings:  International events that form part of the preparations for IGR-2 include:

March 2006:                        Fourth World Water Forum, 16 – 22 March, Mexico City

September 2006:            Xiamen International Forum for Local Municipalities, Xiamen

 

®     IGR-2 Preparatory Committee Meeting:  An IGR-2 PrepCom will be held in June 2006. The main focus of this meeting will be the preparation of the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office Programme of Work (PoW) 2007 – 2011.

 

®     Open dialogue via UNEP/GPA website (electronic process):  All stakeholders are invited to provide input to the IGR-2 preparations via electronic means through the newly designed UNEP/GPA website. 

 

D.    IGR-2 Documentation

 

As mentioned above, Countries and NGOs are invited to submit voluntary contributions on their implementation of the GPA.  All contributions received by the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office before the end of August 2006 will be posted on the UNEP/GPA IGR-2 Website.

 

The following officials documents are being prepared by the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office:

1.     Review of GPA Implementation 2002 – 2006 and the Report of UNEP/GPA Coordination Office Activities:  These two reports will summarize the achievements of the GPA in general and the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office in particular.  Both reports will highlight successes, impacts and challenges from a national, regional, and global perspective and recommend areas of future work.

2.     Proposed UNEP/GPA Coordination Office Programme of Work (PoW) 2007 – 2011: Based on the above implementation reviews, the draft PoW will describe the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office activities for the period 2007  - 2011.

3.     Draft Beijing Ministerial Declaration: The Ministerial Declaration will be a key output of the IGR-2 and will build on the Montreal Declaration of the 1^st IGR Meeting in 2001.  The Declaration will outline key developments related to the implementation of the GPA and highlight future priorities.

4.     New Policy Directions for the GPA: Information document to supplement the 1995 GPA highlighting legislative changes related to the GPA since 1995 and concluding with new policy recommendations to further implement the GPA in light of changes and developments in the last decade.

 

The following supporting documents are being prepared by the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office and/or its partners:

·        2005 State of the Environment Report Relevant to GPA Issues

·        Large Marine Ecosystem (LMEs) Report

·        The economic valuation of goods & services for Large Marine Ecosystems

·        Regional and national ICZM practices

·        Review of Regional Seas

·        Strategic Action Plan on Wastewater Casebook

·        ICARM (Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management) Casebook

·        Report on how to use LBA Protocols to strengthen the legal implementation of the GPA

·        Proceedings from 7^th Regional Seas Meeting 

·        Handbook on GPA National Programmes of Action

·        Municipal Wastewater Training Manual

·        Measuring Progress in Integrated Management of Catchments and Coasts Report

 

E.    Organisation

 

High Level IGR-2 Steering Committee:  In order to assure that the IGR–2 meets expectations, a High Level Steering Committee will be formed late 2005 and will be comprised of Ministers from around the world.  This Committee will advise the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office on the programme and other developments related to IGR-2.

 

The Peoples Republic of China to Host IGR-2:  UNEP/GPA is working closely with the State Environmental Protection Administration of China, SEPA in the planning and organisation of IGR-2.  SEPA has also kindly agreed to second a SEPA official to the UNEP/GPA office to assist in this regard.  Other national organisations will assist including the Tongji University and the Center for Environmental Education and Communication of SEPA.

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Further information:  Please visit www.gpa.unep.org or contact us at igr2@unep.nl

Phone: +31 70 311 4460  Fax: +31 70 345 6648