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This Manual was designed to improve and facilitate use of the UNEP Guidelines on Compliance with and Enforcement of MEAs through a variety of means. Its organization follows that of the UNEP Guidelines, with the first part of the Manual devoted to compliance and the second part to enforcement. The Manual is intended for use by a wide audience: treaty negotiators, political officials, lawyers, police, customs officers, researchers, and legal drafters in governmental, non-governmental, academic, and professional institutions. Considering the breadth of topics and audiences entailed, this Manual is a reference tool. It is not meant to be read cover-to-cover.

Historically, the blowing agent selection made by the foam plastics manufacturing industry was based heavily on CFCs. This was particularly the case in closed cell insulating foams. An assortment of CFCs and other ozone depleting substances (ODSs), including CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, CFC-114 and methyl chloroform were used in numerous foam plastic product applications. However, the effect of the phase-out process has been to create further diversification.The first technology transition in the early 1990s led to the introduction of transitional substances such as HCFCs as well as the increasing use of hydrocarbons and other non-ODSs. This transition is still taking place in Article 5(1) countries. In non-Article 5(1) countries, particularly in Europe and North America, attention is now firmly focused on the second phase of technology transition out of the transitional substances. This transition is concentrating attention on the emerging HFC-based technologies, although it should be stressed that much consideration is still being given to the optimisation of hydrocarbon and CO2 technologies1 and these technologies are gaining market share in several sectors.

Marine litter poses a vast and growing threat to the marine and coastal environment. It is found in all sea and ocean areas of the world – not only in densely populated regions but also in remote places far away from any obvious source. Marine litter travels over long distances with ocean currents and winds and is found everywhere in the marine and coastal environment, from the poles tothe equator, from continental coastlines to small remote islands. Marine litter originates from many sources and causes a wide spectrum of environmental, economic, safety, health and cultural impacts. The very slow rate of degradation of most marine litter items, mainly plastics, together with the continuously growing quantity of the litter and debris disposed, is leading to a gradual increase in marine litter found at sea and on the shores.

The Pacific region is unique,not because its geographical, biological, sociological and economic characteristics are found exclusively here, but because of the combination of these characteristics within the region. This region is characterized by small-land masses dispersed over 5.8 per cent of the Earth's surface; a high degree of ecosystem and species diversity; an extraordinary level of endemicity; a high degree of economic and cultural dependence on the natural environment; vulnerability to a wide range of natural and environmental disasters and a diversity of cultures and languages, traditional practices and customs focused on the marine and coastal environment.