Report of the First Meeting of the Co-ordination Body on the Seas of East Asia

On the initiative of States of the region, the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme in 1977 decoded that "steps are urgently needed to formulate and establish a scientific programme involving research, prevention and control of marine pollution and monitoring" for a regional seas programme in Asia. This decision was followed up by a series of preparatory projects and various meetings leading to the development and adoption of a regional action plan.