First WOA

Second WOAUN Regular Process logo

 

The UN Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment is a mechanism to review the environmental, economic and social aspect of the world’s oceans, both current and foreseeable. It is guided by international law, including the UN Conversion on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and is accountable to the UN General Assembly. The Regular Process is overseen by an Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole (currently no UK representation). The Secretariat is hosted by the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS).

Each cycle of the Regular Process takes five years:

Each cycle requires interdisciplinary expertise from across the globe. Member States and individuals contribute to the reporting and assessment.

UK Contributions

The UK has a number of representatives on the DOALOS Pool of Experts, and twenty members of the writing team for the third World Ocean Assessment.

UK Contact: Dr Marta Soeffker (Cefas) as the National Focal Point for the UK