동북아 해양환경 협력방안에 관한 연구

The Northwest Pacific region has been afflicted with the serious pollution of the sea and the destruction of marine ecosystem because of its geographic proximity, the high density of population with rapid economic growth, and the concentration of industrial complexes and large cities on the coastline. The situation in this region is worsening. The industrial and domestic wastewater from industries and large cities have been flowing into the sea. Moreover, pollution from land-based sources, pollution by dumping, and oil spill by vessel accidents have caused serious marine pollution. The Northwest Pacific Ocean, a semi-enclosed sea, has geographic characteristics vulnerable to pollution. It is not easy for one nation to cope with marine pollution issues, so it needs the cooperation between countries within the Northwest Pacific region. NOWPAP(Northwest Pacific Action Plan) started as an intergovernmental organization to cooperate in the field of the marine environment of the Northwest Pacific region. The overall goal of NOWPAP is to use, develop and manage the marine and coastal environment wisely while protecting the region's sustainability for future generation. In order to achieve this goal, NOWPAP has focused on the regulation of the land-based sources connected with GPA(the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities). Recently, it has stepped forward to the integrated management of the coastal and marine environment and its resources. NOWPAP has implemented numerous activities focused on the priority programme activities after its establishment, and has set up the institutional and financial arrangements to effectively implement them. Four Regional Activity Centers (RACs) have carried out the establishment of a comprehensive database system and monitoring programme on the marine pollution, development of the regional Oil Spill & HNS Contingency Plan, and marine litter activities. These activities have been successfully implemented by the active participation and cooperation of the NOWPAP members. However, NOWPAP does not adopt the international convention, so it has no legally binding force, and has many tasks to be resolved in the future. This paper aims to analyze the outcome of the activities that NOWPAP has carried out, and to review the tasks necessary for the conservation of the marine environment and the ecological approach and integral management of marine and coastal environment and its resources in the Northwest Pacific region.