The web platform of the Regional Node provides stakeholders in the East Asian Seas region with access to knowledge, resources and networking services on marine litter and plastic pollution for informed action.
The Global Partnership on Marine Litter Honolulu Strategy (GPML) serves as a coordination forum aiming to harness the collective knowledge and resources of governments, practitioners, donors and other international organizations in strengthening and scaling up the implementation of the global framework for prevention and management of marine debris, which was adopted in 2012. The GPML is the foremost international effort for cooperation between authorities, industry and civil society to address the issue of marine litter on a global scale. It should serve as a critical source of information to guide action at the global, regional, national and sub-national level to help prevent and reduce the amount of marine litter in the global ocean. The involvement of the private and public sectors and civil society is vital for the GPML to meet its ambition.
The GPML aims at achieving six major goals through strategic engagement and actions:
1. Provide a global multi-stakeholder support mechanism for reducing the input and impacts of macro-plastics and microplastics in the ocean.
2. Advance three main pillars for marine litter reduction dealing with: A - sea-based sources and inputs; B - land-based sources and inputs and, C - accumulation of litter on shorelines, seabed and water column.
3. Help coordinate litter reduction initiatives at local, national, regional, inter-governmental and global scales, within and across relevant social and economic sectors.
4. Strengthen partnerships with Regional Seas Programmes and other regional bodies, both formal and informal.
5. Act as a focal point for the exchange of information and guidance, by means of the Marine Litter Network.
6. Support the work of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) with respect to marine litter, under the 2012 Manila Declaration.
Figure 1. Schematic of relationships within a Regional Node and links to the rest of the GPML, via the Marine Litter Network.
Figure 2. Schematic of relationship between the regional nodes embedded within the GPML and a range of other organizations and initiatives with common interests and potential partners in the GPML, via the Marine Litter Network: TAC - Technical Advisory Committee; SC – Steering Committee; UNEA – United Nations Environment Assembly; AG - Advisory Group for reporting to the UNEA; Biennial Conference – Biennial Conference of the GPML Partners
