GPA adopted in 1995 in Washington by 108 States and the EC. Aims at preventing the degradation of the marine environment from land based activities and the physical alteration and destruction of habitats

1. The Global Programme of
Action forthe Protection of the
Marine Environment from
Land-Based Activities

2. GPA
• Adopted in 1995 in Washington
by 108 States and the EC
• Aims at preventing the
degradation of the marine
environment from land based
activities and the physical
alteration and destruction of
habitats

3. The core of the GPA
• GPA is a source of conceptual and
practical guidance
• Forevery pollutant source
category GPA provides
–A basis foraction
–Objectives/proposed targets
–Lists of specific actions covering
the policy lifecycle

4. National and Regional Action Plans
• Identification and assessment of
problems
• Establishment of priorities
• Setting management objectives
• Identification of strategies,
measures and approaches
• Performance criteria

5. Implementation of the GPA
• GEFhas played a majorrole
• Supports local, regional, and river-
basin Strategic Action Plans
• Implementation underreview forthe
first intergovernmental GPA review
meeting in 2001 in Canada, including
review of GPA-related GEFprojects

6. Next Steps
• With regard to the GEF:
–Too early to assess strategies?
–Strategic Action Plans need to be
implemented first?
–Time to take stock of directions
and lessons learned so far?
–Is there a gap between theory
and practice?

7. • With regard to the GPA
Coordination Office
–Binding agreements
–Voluntary agreements involving
different stakeholders
–Financial resources and
mechanisms
–Private sector
–Capacity building and sharing
experiences

8. GEFProject Proposals
• Support countries in developing
action-oriented national plans of
action
• Review ongoing GPA-related
GEFprojects to distill lessons
learned, share experiences and
define the way forward.

9. Visit the GPA clearing-house!
www.gpa.unep.gov

10. Visit the GPA clearing-house!
www.gpa.unep.gov