UNEP
Regional Seas Action Plan for the Upper South-West Atlantic
In
1980 UNEP's Governing Council decided to launch a programme
for the marine and coastal environment of Argentina, Brazil
and Uruguay. In 1997 UNEP reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation
and strengthening of a programme for this region, focusing on
projects and activities related directly to the Global Programme
of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment Land-based
Activities (UNEP/GPA). In 1998, in cooperation with the UNEP/GPA
Coordination Office, and the UNEP Regional Office for Latin
America and the Caribbean (ROLAC), a Regional Programme of Action
on Land-based Activities and a regional assessment for the Upper
South-West Atlantic were prepared and endorsed by representatives
of the three Governments. The first steps in implementing the
programme, which covers the coast from Cape São Tomé
in Brazil to the northern Peninsula Valdez in Argentina, are
under way.
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Treaty
Concerning Rio de la Plata and the Corresponding Maritime Boundary
The Treaty
Concerning Rio de la Plata and the Corresponding Maritime Boundary
was signed in 1973 by the Governments of the Eastern Republic
of Uruguay and the Argentine Republic. It deals mainly with
territorial issues, navigation, maritime safety etc., but also
includes chapters on water pollution (primarily from oil exploitation
and from discharges of ballast water) and on fishing. For the
implementation of the treaty, there is one joint Administrative
Commission (Comisión
Administradora del Río de la Plata, CARP) and a joint
Technical Commission (Comisión
Técnica Mixta del Frente Marítimo, COFREMAR).
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GEF
International Waters Projects and Biodiversity Projects
The
GEF-UNDP
project "Environmental Protection of the Rio de
La Plata and Maritime Front" will contribute to
the mitigation of current and emergent transboundary threats
to the waterbody by assisting Argentina and Uruguay to prepare
a Strategic Action Programme as a framework for addressing the
most imminent transboundary issues. The project will be implemented
through the Rio de la Plata Administrative Commission (CARP)
and Technical Commission (COFREMAR) - see above: Treaty Concerning
Rio de la Plata and the Corresponding Maritime Boundary.
The
objectives of the GEF-World
Bank project Coastal
Contamination Prevention and Sustainable Fisheries Management
are to promote the conservation of biodiversity along
the Patagonia coastline and to protect the Patagonian Shelf
Large Marine Ecosystem through the prevention and mitigation
of coastal pollution and the sustainable management of fisheries
resources.
To
achieve this goal, the project's components would strengthen
institutions and implement priority investments to:
- address
the threats from land-based contamination in the Patagonia
coastal area;
- improve
fisheries management policy to prevent overharvesting in
the large marine ecosystem, which is adversely affecting
marine and coastal biodiversity; and
- safeguard
coastal and marine biodiversity from accident and pollution
risks resulting from increased commercial traffic, which
carry hazardous substances.
The
main project outputs are the establishment of an integrated,
operational strategy for coastal pollution management; the
design and installation of an electronic marine information
infrastructure; and the development and implementation of
a sustainable fisheries management program.
The
GEF-World Bank Maritime
Management Project project activities will
- improve
water quality/ecosystem health of the Southeast South American
Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) shared with Argentina
and Brazil, and
- promote
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in maritime
and near-coastal area of Uruguay.
The
objective of the GEF Biodiversity-UNDP project Patagonian
Coastal Zone Management Plan project are the preservation
of Patagonia's biodiversity and protection of this economically
important area through enhancing sustainable management of coastal
resources. By strengthening institutions, developing human resources,
and contributing valuable environmental information the project
will establish integrated coastal zone management plan which
will enhance existing capacities and decision-making.
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UNEP
Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC)
UNEP
Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC)
seeks to further UNEP's global mandate of providing leadership
in and promoting joint efforts for environmental care, and encouraging,
informing and building the capacity of nations and peoples to
improve their lives without endangering that of future generations.
ROLAC
also serves as the Secretariat of the Forum
of Environmental Ministers for Latin America and the Caribbean
(Foro
de Ministros de Medio Ambiente de América Latina y
el Caribe).
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UN
Economic Commissioin for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
The
objective of the UN
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC) is to contribute to the economic development of Latin
America, coordinate actions directed towards this end, and reinforce
economic relationships among the countries and with the other
nations of the world. ECLAC is also to promote the region's
social development. |
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Agreements