SECOND INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ESTABLISHING MECHANISM FOR GLOBAL ASSESSMENT

 

OF MARINE ENVIRONMENT TO CONVENE IN NEW YORK, 13 - 15 JUNE

NEW YORK, 2 June (UN Office of Legal Affairs) -– The Second International Workshop on the establishment of a regular process for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects, both current and foreseeable, building on existing regional assessments, will be convened at United Nations Headquarters, from 13 to 15 June 2005.  The Workshop will continue consideration of issues relating to the establishment of the regular process, including the scope of the regular process and a task force to initiate the start-up phase, the “Assessment of Assessments”.

The establishment of a regular process for the assessment of the state of the marine environment was a recommendation by the World Summit on Sustainable Development to enable States to improve scientific understanding and assessment of marine and coastal ecosystems as a fundamental basis for sound decision-making.

In its resolution 57/141, the General Assembly endorsed paragraph 36 (b) of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation on the establishment of the regular process.  Paragraph 64 of resolution 58/240 of 23 December 2003 identified steps towards the formal establishment of the regular process, possibly by the end of 2004.  These steps included:  the convening of a group of experts to determine modalities for the regular process (23-27 March 2004) and an international workshop (8-11 June 2004).

The First International Workshop provided an opportunity for States to discuss the practical implications of establishing the regular process.  At the Workshop, States decided to focus their efforts on the proposed “Assessment of Assessments”, which was considered a necessary first step to assess existing assessments in various agencies. States also considered the possible establishment of an inter-agency task force.  One important issue, which was revealed as the first stumbling block for the establishment of the regular process, is the definition of its scope.  Should the regular process be comprehensive, namely, look at both physical and biological elements of the oceans, seas, and coastal areas as integrated and essential components of the Earth‘s ecosystem, or should the regular process rather assess pollution of the marine environment, excluding living marine resources.

There were important points of divergence among delegations at the First International Workshop (A/59/126).

The Second International Workshop will continue discussions began at the first International Workshop.

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