A/RES/59/24 species and marine pollution from all sources, including from land-based sources and vessels, in particular through the illegal release of oil and other harmful substances and from dumping, including the dumping of hazardous waste such as radioactive materials, nuclear waste and dangerous chemicals, Recognizing that hydrographic surveys and nautical charting are critical to the safety of navigation and life at sea, environmental protection, including vulnerable marine ecosystems and the economics of the global shipping industry, and recognizing in this regard that the move towards electronic charting not only provides significantly increased benefits for safe navigation and management of ship movement, but also provides data and information that can be used for sustainable fisheries activities and other sectoral uses of the marine environment, the delimitation of maritime boundaries and environmental protection, Noting the important role of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (“the Commission”) in assisting States parties in the implementation of the Convention, through the examination of submissions by coastal States regarding the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, and also noting the need to ensure the effective functioning of the Commission and its subcommissions, in particular the participation of the members of the Commission in its subcommissions, Taking note of the report on the work of the fifth meeting of the Consultative Process, 4 established by the General Assembly in its resolution 54/33 in order to facilitate the annual review by the Assembly of developments in ocean affairs and extended for three years by its resolution 57/141, Taking note also of the report of the Secretary-General, 5 and emphasizing in this regard the critical role of the annual comprehensive report of the SecretaryGeneral, which integrates information on developments relating to the implementation of the Convention and the work of the Organization, its specialized agencies and other institutions in the field of ocean affairs and the law of the sea at the global and regional levels, and as a result constitutes the basis for the annual consideration and review of developments relating to ocean affairs and the law of the sea by the General Assembly as the global institution having the competence to undertake such a review, Noting the responsibilities of the Secretary-General under the Convention and related resolutions of the General Assembly, in particular resolutions 49/28, 52/26 and 54/33, and in this context the increase in responsibilities of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs of the Secretariat, in particular in view of the growing involvement of the Division with new developments such as the regular process for the global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects, with increasing capacity-building activities and assistance to the Commission, and the role of the Division in inter-agency coordination and cooperation, Emphasizing that ships and watercraft of all descriptions and ages hold essential information on the history of humankind and that archaeological heritage _______________ 4 5 A/59/122. A/59/62 and Add.1. 3