The International Conference will gather various stakeholders - policymakers, resource and economic managers, business professionals, scientists, members of the academe, local and international NGOs, youth and community representatives and other members of civil society from within and outside the East Asian Seas region - to engage in knowledge sharing and partnership building.

The International Conference will feature six major Conference Themes that cover essential aspects of sustainable coastal and ocean development. A series of workshops, seminars and interactive sessions will be organized under each theme, providing the more than 1,000 participants from the region and other parts of the world with access to a wealth of experience and expertise in improved governance and management of the regional ocean and its resources.

The six major themes include: a) Coastal and Ocean Governance; b) Natural and Man-made Hazard Prevention and Management; c) Habitat Protection, Restoration and Management; d) Water Use and Supply Management; e) Food Security and Livelihood Management; and f) Pollution Reduction and Waste Management.

Goals and Objectives

• Serve as venue for sharing of experiences, developments and lessons learned in the application of integrated and ecosystem-based approaches to the management of coastal and ocean-related ecosystems and natural resources;
• Assess the progress made since the EAS Congress 2006, including the implementation in the region of international environmental instruments, and identify remaining challenges and new approaches/best practices that would help address concerns at the local, national and regional levels;
• Highlight both the achievements and best practices at the local level related to coastal and ocean management, as well as some of the failures at the local level and lessons learned from such experiences;
• Promote collaboration and partnerships at the local, national, subregional and regional level to help overcome governance, finance, scientific, communication and capacity barriers in effective coastal and oceans management;
• Based on the consensus or key points identified in various workshops/ seminars, provide recommendations to the Ministers and PEMSEA Partners to contribute in the advancement and further strengthening of the implementation of the SDS-SEA.

Themes and Topics At-a-Glance*

	Keynote Speaker: Prof. Tommy Koh Coastal/Ocean Policy and Legislation: Implementation and New Initiatives Contributions of Marine Economic Sectors to Regional and National GDP in an Uncertain Climate The Continental Shelf: Post-May 2009 Perspectives Addressing Transboundary Issues through Regional/Subregional Seas Cooperation: Initiatives in East Asia The Science in Ecosystem-based Management Land- and Sea- use Zoning: Challenges and Opportunities
	Keynote Speaker: Dr. Bhichit Rattakul Government/Industry Partnerships for Effective and Consistent Preparedness Response to Marine Pollution in East Asia Meeting Challenges of Climate Change at the Local Level through ICM Impacts of Climate Change at the Coastal and Ocean Areas of the East Asian Seas Region Development and Advances on Marine Bio-safety in the Context of the Convention on Biodiversity
	Keynote Speaker: Dr. Edgardo Gomez Networking of Marine Protected Areas: Benefits, Good Practices, Standards, and Next Steps Indigenous Approaches to Habitat Protection and Restoration: Experiences in Sato Umi and Other Community Initiatives Payment for Ecosystem Services: Financing Schemes and Mechanisms for Coastal and Marine Area Protection, Restoration and Management
	Keynote Speaker: Dr. Torkil Jønch Clausen Alternative Energy - A Solution for Energy Security for Islands and Remote Areas Addressing Water Crisis in Rapidly Growing Cities
	Keynote Speaker: Prof. Michael Crawford Mainstreaming Sustainable Aquaculture into the ICM Framework The Future Role of Fisheries in an Urbanized World Livelihood Management and Sustainable Coastal Tourism
	Keynote Speaker: Prof. Rudolf Wu Transboundary Pollution Reduction in River Basins and Coastal Areas Innovative Policies and Practices in Water Supply, Sanitation and Pollution Reduction

The detailed Congress Programme may be downloaded in the Downloads Section. Themes and/or topics are subject to change.

* As of 28 April 2009