For World Oceans Day, here is an overview of some of the UNEP programs around the world.

Oceans are the source of most rainfall and they regulate the earth's temperatures and wind patterns. Though generally recognized as several 'separate' oceans, these waters comprise one global interconnected body of salt water often referred to as the World Ocean or global ocean.

Healthy and functioning oceans provide essential services to human communities that support economic well-being and human health to include providng food, shoreline protection, a source of non living resources for energy and trade, recreation, culture and a critical role in regulating the earth's climate.

Unfortunately, human activities are putting oceans under increasing pressure. Resulting changes in the marine environment are occurring at a faster pace than anticipated, affecting especially the most vulnerable marine ecosystems such as coral reefs.

UNEP continues to address the accelerating degradation of the world's oceans and coastal areas through sustainable management and wise use of marine and coastal environment taking into consideration the interconnected nature of the world's oceans and coastlines, its rich and varied biodiversity and the importance of marine resources to millions of people.

Increasing pollution, degradation of habitats and emerging impacts of climate change provide tremendous challenges. UNEP Regional Seas Programs are important intergovernmental organizations that address these challenges by engaging neighboring countries in comprehensive and specific actions to protect their shared marine environment.

Mediterranean Action Plan

UNEP/MAP is the Mediterranean Action Plan, the first regional seas convention established under UNEP's umbrella. It is a regional cooperative effort involving 21 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the European Union.

Significant progress acheived by MAP over the last year include a new law introduced on May 1 that prohibits the dumping of garbage from ships into the Mediterranean Sea.

Caribbean Environment Program

The Caribbean Environment Program (CEP) continues to encourage member states in meeting the Caribbean Challenge target of protecting 20 percent of marine and coastal habitats by 2020. The Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Project and development of Regional Fund for Wastewater Management will support regional collaboration to reduce the vulnerability of sensitive coastal and marine ecosystems by improving national and regional governance structures and developing new and innovative mechanisms for financing new pollution reduction activities.

NOWPAP

Northwest Pacific member states are participating in global negotiations on climate change and biodiversity conservation through NOWPAP, the Action Plan for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Norhwest Pacific Region. They will address these cross-cutting issues from a regional perspective as well, including through integrated coastal area and river basin management and through developing regional pilot projects on alien specials, marine protected areas and climate change adaptation.

While implementing the Marine Litter Activity (MALITA) in the region, NOWPAP member states realized that one of the main reasons behind worsening situation with marine litter is the general public's lack of awareness regarding the sources, quantities and impacts of marine litter. To change the situation, a series of workshops were organized in each country, associated with the beach cleanups.

Abidjan and Nairobi Conventions

The countries of the Abidjan and Nairobi Conventions have taken some measures designed to make the ocean respond to impacts of climate change. During this year's World Oceans Day, a UNEP WIO LaB demonstration project "A wetland-lagoon system for wastewater management" will be commissioned at Shimo La Tewa Prison, Mombasa, Kenya. This project demonstrates how oceans can be kept clean through the use of natural wetalnd systems with minimum energy requirements.

Upcoming initiatives include development of integrated water resources management in African Small Islands Developing States in response to emerging demand for tools to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change such as sea level rise.