IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)
Advancing knowledge and cooperation for a healthy ocean and prosperous society
UN Ocean Decade Actions
UN 22:
Stem the Tide of Asia’s Riverine Plastic Emission Into the Ocean
Our Activities
2022
UN Ocean Decade Project Endorsed
The IOC-WESTPAC Sub-Commission together with several countries and their institutions in the region developed and registered this program as a UN Ocean Decade Project (“UN22: Stem the tide of Asia’s riverine plastic emission into the ocean”) in April 2022.
Co-organization of the “Seminar on the Global Governance Process of Marine Plastic Pollution” in December 16–17th, 2021, Shanghai, China.
2021
Hosted a Decade Action Incubator named “Stem the tide of plastic and microplastic transport from rivers to the ocean” at the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) Regional Kickoff Conference for the Western Pacific and its Adjacent Areas.
26 November 2021, Online.
2020
WESTPAC 3rd workshop “Distribution, Source, Fate and Impacts of Marine Microplasitic in Asia and the Pacific” in 6-8 November 2019, Shanghai, China
2019
Established UNESCO/IOC Regional Training and Research Center (RTRC) on Plastic Marine Debris and Microplastics (PMDM), which was officially approved by the UNESCO/IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) at its 12th Intergovernmental Session (WESTPAC-XII, 2 April 2019, Manila, the Philippines).
WESTPAC 2nd workshop “Distribution, Source, Fate and Impacts of Marine Microplasitic in Asia and the Pacific” in 15-17 October 2018, Shanghai, China.
2018
Participated GESAMP WG40 Regional Expert Consultant in June 2018, Bangkok, Thailand
Co-organization of the 2nd International Symposium on Marine Microplasitc Pollution and Control, 24-25 April 2018, Shanghai.
WESTPAC inception workshop named “Distribution, Source, Fate and Impacts of Marine Microplasitic in Asia and the Pacific” was held in 20-22 September 2017, Phuket, Thailand.
Establishment of two open-ended Working Groups (WGs): Microplastics in Surface Water WG and Microplastics in Marine Organism WG.
2017
Where the story started
The WESTPAC 10th International Scientific Conference concluded on 20 April 2017, Qingdao, China. During this conference, a number of recommendations have been made towards future marine science development and cooperation in view of the emerging challenges that the region is facing. Among which a keynote speech titled “Marine plastics and microplastics: threats to marine ecosystem” was delivered and a microplastic session was held, which incubated this Ocean Decade Action initially.