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Coastal ecosystems, such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds, are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The degradation and loss of these ecosystems, stemming from the increased impacts of climate change-related drivers, threaten the well being of island communities in Micronesia, as they are very reliant on and connected with these coastal ecosystems.

Papua New Guinea is a high biodiversity country in both the terrestrial and marine environments. Many new species of many different genera of plants and animals are still being 'uncovered' through ongoing and concentrated efforts by various researchers and institutions, incrementally filling in the gaps of our knowledge. Areas that were blank on the Conservation Needs Assessment map of 1994 have been filled in over the last 20 years, although many areas are yet to be surveyed.

Many developing countries are unable to fulfil their obligations as signatories of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) as they tackle increasingly complex scientific and technical issues. Inadequate human, financial, and technical capacity are some of the constraints that severely impact their ability to implement MEAs. In order to address this pressing issue, the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have joined forces with the European Commission (EC) and the ACP Secretariat (African, Caribbean, Pacific Group of States Secretariat) and regional organizations, namely, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM) and the African Union Commission (AUC) to enhance the capacity of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries to improve the implementation of specific MEAs.

Marine litter poses serious environmental, health, and economic threats to oceans and coastal ecosystems. It also presents a unique legal and regulatory challenge for many nation States (hereinafter States), as it can originate from diverse land-based and sea-based sources both within and outside of a State. While the full magnitude of the problem can be difficult to ascertain, some estimates suggesting that an average of 8 million tons of plastic waste entered the ocean in 2010, and this figure has been projected to increase.

The Asia Pacific region is exceptionally rich in biodiversity. The tropical forests of South East Asia, the reefs of the ‘coral triangle’, the temperate forests and the large river basins found in the region are among the most unique on Earth. However, biodiversity in the Asia Pacific region is in fast decline. For example, the region recorded the world’s highest number of threatened species in 2014 and extensive coastal development and unsustainable exploitation of marine resources have resulted in the disappearance of over 40 percent of coral reefs and mangroves, leading to declines in fish stocks.

Factsheet on the links between the Aichi biodiversity targets, NBSAPs and objectives of the framework for nature conservation and protected areas in the Pacific islands region.

Recognizing the value of large marine ecosystems (LMEs) and other transboundary water systems (open ocean, groundwater aquifers, lakes and reservoirs, and river basins), their continued degradation, the fragmented approach to their management, and the need for better prioritization of interventions, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) embarked on the Transboundary Waters Assessment Programme (TWAP) from 2009 to 2015. TWAP objectives were to undertake global assessments of the five transboundary water systems to assist GEF and other international organizations set priorities for interventions; and develop formal institutional partnerships for periodic assessments of these systems.

The sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6) Regional Assessment for Asia and the Pacific paints a comprehensive picture of the environmental factors contributing to human health and well-being at the regional level. Backed by a large body of recent, credible scientific evidence, regional-wide consultations and a robust intergovernmental process, the assessment demonstrates economic growth and improved access to basic services in the region. It also highlights the complexity of the interlinked environmental, social and economic challenges now confronting decision makers.

Marine litter (or debris)* is waste created by humans that has been discharged into the coastal or marine environment. It is defined as “any anthropogenic, manufactured, or processed solid material (regardless of size) discarded, disposed of, or abandoned in the environment, including all materials discarded into the sea, on the shore, or brought indirectly to the sea by rivers, sewage, storm water, waves, or winds” (UNEP and NOAA, 2012).

The Open Ocean Assessment provides a baseline review of issues linking human well-being with the status of the open ocean through the themes of governance, climate change, ocean ecosystems, fisheries, pollution, and integrated assessment of the human-ocean nexus. It uses indices and indicators where data exist, in many cases with future projections due to global climate change, complemented by expert scientific assessment of numerous low certainty but potentially high impact issues where global ocean monitoring is inadequate.