On 25 and 26 June, Australia hosted a Senior Government Officials Meeting (SOGM) for the Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action (ATSEA) Program in Brisbane.
At the meeting, member countries finalised a ministerial declaration to:
- Reduce marine and coastal plastic pollution
- Prevent and respond to oil spills
- Reduce illegal fishing in transboundary areas
- Increase the resilience of:
- endangered species
- threatened species
- protected species
- critical habitats.
The declaration will be signed by environment ministers at the upcoming Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) Ministerial Forum in September.
The meeting also:
- showcased the Australian Government's Ghost Nets Initiative
- discussed Australia's work in addressing the impact of pollution on marine species
- reiterated the impact of light pollution on sea turtle and seabird nesting sites.
Attendees visited the University of Queensland's ARC Training Centre for Bioplastics and Biocomposites. After the visit, attendees discussed how this research could be applied to reduce marine plastic pollution.
The ATSEA Program was launched in 2010 to manage and protect the vast ecosystems of the Arafura and Timor Seas. It is a long-standing partnership between the governments of:
- Australia
- Indonesia
- Papua New Guinea
- Timor Leste.
We are committed to partnering with the Pacific and our near neighbours on shared environmental priorities. Through strong leadership at home and abroad, we are working to ensure a nature positive future.
