Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — Soc Trang is a key coastal province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta and is prized as one of the country's rice bowls given its high agricultural productivity. The province's coastal and marine resources are at risk not only from the negative ecological consequences of the expanding shrimp farming industry but also from the impacts of climate change.

 

 

Tagaytay City, Philippines — One thousand nine hundred trees will be planted at the sprawling Tagaytay Highlands this year in an effort to promote a greener environment. The tree-growing activity dubbed "One Tree at a Time" was launched on 25 May to observe the International Day for Biodiversity.

 

Xiamen, PR China — The PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG) ushered in four new regular members and a change in leadership during their Fourth Executive Committee Meeting held in Xiamen on 27 May.

 

The Executive Committee agreed to accept the membership applications of Shima City, Japan; Northern Selangor, Malaysia; and Changyi City and Qinzhou City, both from PR China. The formal induction of the four sites will be held at the General Assembly of the forthcoming PNLG Forum 2013.

 

 

Tokyo, Japan — NOWPAP representatives attended the Forum on 14-15 March in Tokyo which was organized by JEAN (Japan Environmental Action Network).

The Forum reviewed the implementation of the "Law for the Promotion of Marine Litter Disposal" enacted in 2009 in Japan and the role of NGOs in raising public awareness on marine litter and galvanizing local actions, as demonstrated by JEAN and Ocean Conservancy (OC) involvement in the implementation of a Japanese government-sponsored project dealing with the 2011 tsunami-generated marine debris.

 

Kobe, Japan — At the 18th Intergovernmental Meeting (IGM) of the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) held on 10-12 April 2013 in Kobe, Japan, a proposal submitted by Okinawa Ocean Culture & Environment Action Network in collaboration with NOWPAP on promoting International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) was accepted for funding.

 

 

Busan, RO Korea — NOWPAP participated in the Global Gathering 2013 in Busan, RO Korea, displaying UNEP and NOWPAP posters, brochures, publications and promotional items to the public on 25 May.

 

 

Manila, Philippines — The Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) marked 20 years of spearheading the sustainable development of the East Asian Seas in a momentous celebration held on 10 July at the Diamond Hotel in Manila, Philippines.