Tokyo, Japan — On 14-17 July, the East Asian Seas (EAS) Partnership Council held its second meeting in Tokyo, Japan. Representatives from 22 Country and non-Country Partners as well as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), PEMSEA Network of Local Governments implementing ICM (PNLG) and Thailand (country observer) attended the Meeting.

Quezon City, Philippines — After several months of rigorous recruitment, the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) Secretariat Services is now fully operational. The PRF Secretariat Services is set to work to provide secretariat support to the PEMSEA regional mechanism, which includes the EAS Partnership Council, the Ministerial Forum, the Regional Partnership Fund, the EAS Congress and the PEMSEA Resource Facility.

Quezon City, Philippines — On 9 November, the GEF/UNDP/IMO Regional Programme on Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) inaugurated and officially opened its new office building, located at DENR Compound, Quezon City, Philippines. The inauguration was led by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Jose L. Atienza Jr.; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Representative Kyo Naka; and PEMSEA Regional Programme Director and Interim Executive Director, Dr. Chua Thia-Eng.

Manado City, Indonesia — The East Asian Seas (EAS) Partnership Council has successfully conducted its first operational meeting in Manado City, Indonesia, last 17-20 July. The Meeting, which was participated in by 11 Country Partners and 11 non-Country Partners, reached important decisions related to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA).Highlights of the Meeting included the election by consensus of the Officers of the Executive Committee, consisting of the Council, Intergovernmental Session and Technical Session Chairs. Dr.

Plymouth, United Kingdom — The Plymouth Marine Laboratory Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Stephen de Mora as its new Chief Executive following an extensive international recruitment campaign. Dr de Mora will take up his new appointment on 1 September 2008.

 

Quezon City, Philippines — The International Center for the Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS) is now the newest Non-Country Partner of PEMSEA. The Executive Committee of the East Asian Seas Partnership Council approved the application of EMECS to become a partner in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) and assist during its second EC Meeting on 15 March.EMECS is a non-profit organization based in Kobe, along the Seto-Inland Sea, in Japan.

Mindoro, Philippines — The Local Government of Puerto Galera launched one of its major projects, the Sewage Collection and Treatment System, on 8 August with a motorcade participated in by municipal and barangay (village) officials. the PhP100-million project aims to address marine pollution problems in Barangay Sabang.

 

Tokyo, Japan — The Centre for Marine Environmental Research and Innovative Technology (MERIT) in Hong Kong has been designated as a PEMSEA Regional Center of Excellence (RCoE) in Marine Pollution.

Quezon City, Philippines — The latest issue of the Tropical Coasts features the programs and activities of local governments in addressing disaster risk reduction (DRR), as well as mainstreaming DRR into integrated coastal management (ICM).Titled "Addressing Coastal Security Through Natural and Man-made Hazards Prevention and Management", the issue also highlights the 2007 Forum of the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG) held in Danang, Viet Nam, on 5-7 September 2007.