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Regional Seas Programme Coordination Project

Achievement of the ambitious 4 Goals and 23 action-oriented targets of the GBF by 2030 requires urgent action at scale to support countries working through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. The role of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans (RSCAPs) in this global process is enormous. The Regional Seas Programme (RSP) led by UNEP covers 18 regions and over 146 countries , making it one of the most globally comprehensive initiatives for the protection of marine and coastal biodiversity. The UNEP’s RSP has the relevant experiences, lessons learnt and tools to mobilize action and support its member states to achive the GBF goals and targets with respect to marine and coastal biodiversity (e.g., Targets 1-4, 6-11, 20-22 and 23 (gender responsive approach)) as well as early action and ratification of the BBNJ Agreement. However, there are a few barriers that impede their effective and timely delivery of support to their member states to achieve these goals. Thus, the goal of this project is to remove the barriers under the leadership of the UNEP Regional Seas Programme and accellerate implementation through technical assistance and capacity building support to the RSCAPs regional and transboundary governance and policy frameworks including through enhancing science- policy dialogue, information and knowledge management and communication. The project will be implemented mainly in 6 RSCAPs administered by UNEP: Wider Caribbean Region, East Asian Seas, Eastern Africa Region, Mediterranean Region, North-West Pacific Region, Western Africa Region. However, lessons learned from the project and models and practices developed by the project will be made available to all RSCAPs to facilitate shared learning and to progress towards achievement of GBF goals and targets related to marine and coastal biodiversity and ratification of the BBNJ Agreement. The Project Objective is to accelerate delivery of the K-M GBF and other biodiversity related commitments in RSCAPs based on improved governance and enhanced transparency and accountability to deliver on national and international commitments for biodiversity. This objective will be achieved through implementation of the three general project strategies (Components): • Component 1. Technical assistance to the RSCAPs regional and transboundary governance frameworks to facilitate greater alignment of their policies, plans and governance frameworks with K-M GBF, strengthen collaboration with biodiversity related MEAs and to harmonize regional and national reporting against agreed indicators; • Component 2. Capacity building for RSCAP Parties and Member States to facilitate effective and timely achievement of GBF Targets and support early actions and ratification on BBNJ; and • Component 3. Strengthening science-policy dialogue, information and knowledge management and communication including access to finance to support achievement of K-M GBF by the member states of RSCAPs. The project is designed for 5 years of implementation as a child project under the UNEP’s Governance and Accountability for Biodiversity Programme and will directly contribute to the Programme Outcomes 2.1, 2.4, and 2.9. Additionally, the project will provide significant contribution to the Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (via delivery of all project Outputs).