Twenty-Third Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Programme

About the event

The eighteen Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans will convene at the 23rd annual meeting of the Regional Seas Programme in Barbados. Organized by UNEP and supported by the Government of Barbados, the Regional Seas will meet and discuss important marine and coastal environment-related issues. 

Objectives

1. Regional Seas Strategic Directions 2022-2025
2. Ocean Governance
   1. Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
   2. International Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution
   3. UNCLOS BBNJ
   4. UN Oceans Conference 2025
   5. Blue/Oceans based economies
   6. World Ocean Assessment
3. Small Island Development States and Least Developing Countries
4. Regional Seas @50 Years
5. Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly 

Background

The Regional Seas Programme (RSP) was launched in 1974 in the wake of the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm. It remains one of UNEP’s most significant achievements and operates in 18 regions, with most regions adopting a regional action plan underpinned by a legal framework in the form of a regional convention with associated protocols on specific issues. Commonly, they are referred to as Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans (RSCAPs). UNEP provides overall coordination and facilitation and in so doing connects the programme to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The annual Global Meetings of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans organized by UNEP is a coordination mechanism of the eighteen (18) regional seas conventions and action plans. This meeting provides a platform for adoption of Global strategies for cooperation, channeling UNEP programmatic support to the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, particularly in areas complementary to the UNEP Programme of Work and strengthening linkages between the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans and other relevant global conventions and agreements.

The 23rd Annual meeting of the Regional Seas Programme builds on the outcomes of the 22nd annual meeting held from 25 - 28 May 2022 in Mahe, Seychelles hosted by the Secretariat of the Nairobi Convention. At the 22nd Meeting of the Regional Seas Programme officially kickstarted implementation of the new Regional Seas Strategic Directions 2022 – 2025. The meeting also deliberated on relevant UNEA 5.2 resolutions including on marine litter and plastics pollution resolution 5/14 titled” End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument”  and the role of the Regional Seas Programme; Ocean Governance; Regional Seas Programme input to the June 2022 UN Ocean Conference; Western Indian Ocean Marine Regions Forum in 2023; among others. The meeting identified various entry points and action points for the regional seas conventions and action plans within their respective mandates and priority actions in their regions. This included a consolidated action plan by the regional seas on the identified resolutions based on the agreed actions.

The 23rd meeting also comes at a time when the member states adopted an internationally binding instrument under the Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). The adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in December 2022. The Regional Seas Programme annual meeting will build on the momentum of these meetings and more to discuss Regional Seas Programme’s strategic involvement and contribution.

Participants

All 18 Regional Seas Conventions and Action plans (RSCAPs) and Representatives of the global MEAs, partners and UNEP staff.

For more information, please contact

Regional Seas Programme: regionalseas@un.org