The "Crown Jewels" of Environmental Diplomacy: Assessing the UNEP Regional Seas Programme

The UNEP Regional Seas Programme employs a regionalized approach to ocean governance, coordinating actions across 18 Conventions and Action Plans involving over 146 countries. While it has achieved significant milestones in pollution management and biodiversity conservation, its effectiveness is hindered by political instability, funding gaps, and weak enforcement.

• The Regional Seas Programme utilizes a 'shared seas' approach to protect coastal and marine environments by engaging neighboring countries. It currently involves more than 146 countries across 18 Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, with UNEP directly administering seven of them.
• The programme has evolved from a primary focus on marine pollution to a more holistic approach that includes biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and integrated coastal zone management (ICZM).
• Significant regional achievements include the adoption of a legally binding Regional Plan for Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean (2013), the designation of over 50,000 square kilometres of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Wider Caribbean since 2010, and the implementation of the Calabar Protocol for mangrove management in West and Central Africa.
• Implementation of regional agreements is inconsistent due to several systemic barriers, including a lack of political will, political instability in certain states, insufficient funding, and weak enforcement mechanisms.
• Global marine fish stocks are under severe pressure, with the FAO estimating that 90% are fully exploited, overexploited, or depleted. This is driven in part by government fishing subsidies, estimated at USD 35.4 billion per year worldwide in 2018.
• The programme is aligning its activities with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically SDG 14. The fourth Regional Seas Strategic Directions (2017-2020) focused on reducing marine pollution, increasing climate resilience in line with SDG 13 and the Paris Agreement, and developing ecosystem-based ocean policies.

APA

Mead,, L. (2021). The "Crown Jewels" of Environmental Diplomacy: Assessing the UNEP Regional Seas Programme. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/crown-jewels-environmental-diplomacy-assessing-unep-regional-seas-programme

Chicago

Mead,, Leila. The "Crown Jewels" of Environmental Diplomacy: Assessing the UNEP Regional Seas Programme. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/crown-jewels-environmental-diplomacy-assessing-unep-regional-seas-programme.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mead, |first1=Leila |title=The "Crown Jewels" of Environmental Diplomacy: Assessing the UNEP Regional Seas Programme |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=27 April 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/crown-jewels-environmental-diplomacy-assessing-unep-regional-seas-programme |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mead2021crown, author = {Mead,, Leila}, title = {{The "Crown Jewels" of Environmental Diplomacy: Assessing the UNEP Regional Seas Programme}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/crown-jewels-environmental-diplomacy-assessing-unep-regional-seas-programme}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }