The Action Plan for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Northwest Pacific Region (NOWPAP) was adopted by the People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Russian Federation in September 1994, as a part of the Regional Seas Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme. The overall goal of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan is to support the regional action plan on marine litter and, "the wise use, development and management of the coastal and marine environment so as to obtain the utmost long-term benefits for the human populations of the region, while protecting human health, ecological integrity and the region’s sustainability for future generations". READ MORE