A/RES/54/225 Page 3 Cognizant of the importance of the Caribbean Sea area to present and future generations and its importance to the heritage, the continuing economic well-being and the sustenance of people living in the area and the urgent need for the countries of the region to take appropriate steps for its preservation and protection, with the support of the international community, Noting the problem of marine pollution caused, inter alia, by land-based sources in the Caribbean Sea area, 1. Recognizes the importance of adopting an integrated management approach to the Caribbean Sea area in the context of sustainable development; 2. Encourages the further development of the integrated management approach to the Caribbean Sea area in the context of sustainable development, which will include environmental, economic, social, legal and institutional elements and will take into account the experience gained, as well as the provisions of Agenda 21,7 the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States,3 the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly and the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development, in conformity with relevant international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;5 3. Calls upon the Caribbean countries to develop further an integrated management approach to the Caribbean Sea area in the context of sustainable development; 4. Also calls upon the international community and the United Nations system, in particular the relevant agencies, actively to support efforts to develop further and implement the above-mentioned approach; 5. Further calls upon Member States to give priority to improving their emergency response capabilities and to increasing their participation in existing mechanisms so as to allow for a timely, effective and coordinated response to natural disasters and for the containment of environmental damage in the Caribbean Sea area in the event of an accident or incident relating to maritime transport; 6. Invites all parties concerned to take action, as appropriate, to address land-based sources of marine pollution; 7. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session, under a sub-item entitled “Further implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States” of the item entitled “Environment and sustainable development”, on the implementation of the present resolution, taking into account the views expressed by relevant regional organizations. 87th plenary meeting 22 December 1999 7 Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3–14 June 1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II.