A regular process for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects (regular process)

Updated 04 September 2008

Background

Background: At the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26 August to 4 September 2002, States agreed, in paragraph 36 (b) of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, to “Establish by 2004 a regular process under the United Nations 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” (GMA). In accordance with paragraph 45 of its resolution 57/141, the General Assembly decided to endorse paragraph 36 (b) of the Plan of Implementation, and requested the Secretary-General, in close collaboration with Member States, relevant organizations and agencies and programmes of the United Nations system, to prepare proposals on modalities for a regular process for the global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, drawing, inter alia, upon the work of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) pursuant to Governing Council decision 21/13 and taking into account the recently completed review by the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP), and to submit these proposals to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session for its consideration and decision, including on the convening of a possible intergovernmental meeting. In accordance with this request, a report was prepared by the Secretariat on proposals for modalities for the GMA focusing on steps to be taken for the establishment of the GMA process (A/58/423). In paragraph 64 (a) of its resolution 58/240, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to convene a group of experts of no more than 24 participants, comprising representatives of States, including all regional groups, and representatives from intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, including both scientists and policy makers, to produce, including through the possibility of hiring a consultant, a draft document with details on the scope, general framework and outline of the regular process, peer review, secretariat, capacity-building and funding.

A group of experts was convened in New York from 23 to 26 March 2004, pursuant to paragraph 64 (a) of General Assembly resolution 58/240, and was composed of representatives of States, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, including both scientists and policy makers (for the list of participants, see annex II). The group of experts was chaired by David Pugh of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The draft document A/AC.271/WP.1 (see table above) constitutes the outcome of the discussions held by the group of experts on the basis of the work of two consultants. It is submitted to the GMA International Workshop, to be held in conjunction with the consultative process from 7 to 11 June 2004 in New York, for its consideration and review pursuant to paragraph 64 (d) of Assembly resolution 58/240.