The third session of the Intergovernmental Review Meeting on the Implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities was held pursuant to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council decision 26/6 of 24 February 2011, by which the Governing Council requested the Executive Director to proceed with organizing the third session, working to ensure that participation was as broad as possible and, to that end, urged all Governments to be actively involved in the intergovernmental review process and, where possible, to make financial contributions to defray costs associated with that meeting.