Headlines: Major intergovernmental agreements and actors Action programmes, strategies, and research State of the regional environment GEF Projects in the region Other actors and initiatives Major intergovernmental agreements and actors Kuwait Regional Convention for Co-operation on the Protection of the Marine Environment from Pollution The Kuwait Convention was adopted in 1978 and came into force in 1979. An Action Plan was adopted in 1978. The objective of the Convention is to prevent, abate, and combat pollution of the marine environment in the region. It has four protocols: Protocol Concerning Regional Co-operation in Combating Pollution by Oil and Other Harmful Substances in Cases of Emergency; adopted 1978, in force 1979 Protocol Protocol for the Protection of the Marine Environment against Pollution from Land-Based Sources; adopted 1990, in force 1993 Protocol on the Control of Marine Transboundary Movements and Disposal of Hazardous Wastes; adopted 1998 Protocol concerning Marine Pollution resulting from Exploration and Exploitation of the Continental Shelf; adopted 1989, in force 1990. Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment, ROPME In order to implement the Kuwait Regional Convention, its Protocols, and the Kuwait Action Plan, ROPME was established in 1979 and the ROPME Secretariat in 1982. ROPME's activities are regional in nature, implemented through initiatives catalysis and seed-funded support of activities carried out within a regional frame work. Examples include the development of national capabilities in monitoring of the marine environment, training in marine environmental monitoring, and implementing quality assurance exercises. See also the history of ROPME. UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, ESCWA The UN ESCWA has a mandate for raising the level of economic development and cooperation among the countries of its region and between them and other parts of the world. The Natural Resources and Environment Management Programme under its Energy, Natural Resources and Environment Division includes a water resources component covering issues like assessment of water resources in ESCWA member states; harmonisation of environmental standards in the water sector of ESCWA member states; and Progress achieved in the implementation of chapter 18 of Agenda 21, with emphasis on water for sustainable agricultural production (case studies); Development of fresh water resources in the rural areas using non-conventional techniques; and Current water policies and practices in selected ESCWA countries. Financial institutions Islamic Development Bank, IDB Priorities of the bank's agriculture-oriented programmes within its Technical Cooperation Programme among IDB member countries include Agricultural Research and Extension; Crop Protection; Soil Conservation; Livestock Breeding and Husbandry; Water Management; and Environmental Sustainability. Action programmes, strategies and research UNEP Regional Seas Programme The Regional Seas Programme was initiated in 1974 as a global programme implemented through regional components. The Regional Seas Programme is UNEP's main framework in the field of the coastal and marine environment. It includes 14 regions and three partner seas, involves more than 140 coastal states, and focuses on sustainable development of coastal and marine areas. Each regional action plan is formulated according to the needs and priorities of the region as perceived by the Governments concerned. Regional conventions are in place for several areas. See a map of all regional seas, and go to more information on the Black Sea, Wider Caribbean, Mediterranean, East Asian Seas, South Asian Seas, Eastern Africa, Kuwait Region, North West Pacific, Red Sea And Gulf of Aden, South East Pacific, North East Pacific, South Pacific, Upper South West Atlantic, and West and Central Africa. The UNEP Regional Seas web site also contains information on What's at stake, Major threats, and Actions. State of the regional environment GEO 2000 State of the Environment: West Asia Global Enviroment Outlook 2000. GEO is: a global environmental assessment process, the GEO Process, that is cross-sectoral and participatory. It incorporates regional views and perceptions, and builds consensus on priority issues and actions through dialogue among policy-makers and scientists at regional and global levels. GEO outputs, in printed and electronic formats, including the GEO Report series. This series makes periodic reviews of the state of the world's environment, and provides guidance for decision-making processes such as the formulation of environmental policies, action planning and resource allocation. Other outputs include technical reports, a web site and a publication for young people. GEF Projects in the region Project concepts in the pipeline UNDP - GEF - Biodiversity: Conservation of Iranian Wetlands The project will develop biodiversity conservation management plans and sustainable management for two or three major wetlands areas using the incremental cost approach. Other actors, initiatives and resources International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management, ICLARM An international research organization "devoted to improving the productivity, management and conservation of aquatic resources for the benefit of users and consumers in developing countries". ICLARM is one of the research centres of CGIAR, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. See, for example, Caribbean Marine Protected Areas Project: The Role of Marine Protected Areas in Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Coral Reef Ecosystems. ICLARM, in collaboration with the the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other partners, and with support from the European Commission, has also developed FishBase, a global information system on fishes for research scientists, fisheries managers, zoologists and many more. FishBase contains full information on 23,500 species. Furthermore, ICLARM has developed similar systems on coral reefs and their resources (ReefBase) and management of fish stocks in Asia (TrawlBase). International Coral Reef Initiative, ICRI An environmental partnership that brings stakeholders together with the objective of sustainable use and conservation of coral reefs for future generations. ICRI is an informal mechanism that allows representatives of over 80 developing countries with coral reefs to sit in equal partnership with major donor countries and development banks, international environmental and development agencies, scientific associations, the private sector and NGOs to decide on the best strategies to conserve the world's coral reef resources. Coral Health and Monitoring Programme, NOOA The mission of the NOOA Coral Health and Monitoring Program is to provide services to help improve and sustain coral reef health throughout the world. Long term goals:Establish an international network of coral reef researchers for the purpose of sharing knowledge and information on coral health and monitoring.Provide near real-time data products derived from satellite images and monitoring stations at coral reef areas. Provide a data repository for historical data collected from coral reef areas. Add to the general fund of coral reef knowledge.See also Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, GCRMN.