• UNITAR is introducing a series of policy briefs to highlight participant voices from the 2024 UNITAR Leaders for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Sea and Human Security Training Programme.
• The policy briefs provide actionable recommendations to address pressing sea and human security issues, including climate change, natural disasters, and environmental degradation.
• The first instalment features top three policy briefs selected by a panel of experts, focusing on deep-sea mining, maritime decarbonization, and community-based Marine Protected Areas. Additional policy briefs are also scheduled for release. 

26 March 2025 Hiroshima, Japan – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) introduces a series of policy briefson Sea and Human Security in the Indo-Pacific. The briefs were produced through the 2024 UNITAR Leaders for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Sea and Human Security Training Programme and represent the collaborative efforts of the programme participants, including government officials, NGO representatives, academics, and private-sector stakeholders from across the Indo-Pacific region. Through introducing these policy briefs, UNITAR aims to amplify the voices of emerging leaders in the region. 

Each brief presents actionable regional recommendations to address critical challenges in sea and human security, including climate change, natural disasters, environmental degradation and other pressing issues that threaten the livelihood of coastal communities and the resilience of marine ecosystems. 

The first instalment includes three policy briefs that have been selected by a panel of experts as the top submissions from the workshop. Each brief addresses a significant sea and human security issue in the Indo-Pacific region. 

1. Protecting the Oceans: ASEAN-Pacific Nations Call for Moratorium on Deep-Sea Mining 
   Authors: Jennifer Coffin, Frances Satini, Grace Tufuga, Elisa Shafiqah, Nguyen Duc Trung,  LavataNivaga
2. Race to Zero: Maritime Decarbonization in the Indo-Pacific 
   Authors: Maria Regina B. Monsayac-Pabalate, Dania Safiya Binti Danny Iswandy, Romario Henry Imoa Pose, Mor Channsovannrith, Asenaca Sulago Maqanatagane, Yrhen Bernard Sabanal Balinis
3. Local Action, Integrated Region: Strengthening Community-Based Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Indo-Pacific 
   Authors: Nasri Tahir, Peter Paul Quibranza, Jona Baro, Natinee Na Chiangmai, Nur Rochma Amaliah 

The three groups also presented their recommendations at the public event “Ways Forward for Ocean Action in the Indo-Pacific” held on 21 February 2025 at United Nations University Tokyo, which was live-streamed on YouTube. 

The policy briefs and more details about the programme can be accessed at Leaders for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Sea and Human Security Training Programme. 

Additional policy briefs will be published and announced on UNITAR's social media accounts. 

Disclaimer: The policy brief publications were developed by participants of the UNITAR 2024 Leaders for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Sea and Human Security Training Programme. The views expressed in these publications are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views neither of their organizations nor the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The documents are published for information purposes only.  

Since the online phase of the Sea and Human Security Programme launched in July 2024, the training engaged over 900 participants from across the Indo-Pacific region. The policy briefs are one of the key outputs of the third and final phase of the programme, which was a 12-day in-person workshop in Japan from 10 to 21 February 2025. 

The final phase brought together 50 selected participants from 18 Asia-Pacific countries, who developed the briefs through group work and expert mentoring. The participants incorporated the insights they gained from the lectures and study tours in Japan. 

UNITAR extends its gratitude to the experts and stakeholders who contributed to the review process.