Collab 10: Sustainable Interactions with Marine Ecosystems
PUBLICATION DATE:
Wednesday, February 02, 2022
PUBLICATION TYPE:
Meeting Documents
STATUS:
Only Available Online
DESCRIPTION:
The Collab Event organized by the GCRF Blue Communities programme office entitled “Sustainable Interactions with Marine Ecosystems” comprised 2 series of short presentations from project partners from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam, who presented their research and findings, each followed by panel sessions and then an opportunity for networking. The research highlighted the challenges faced by coastal communities in four case study sites, three of which are UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, and the fourth is a gazetted Marine Park.
The event brought together key actors from the Southeast Asia region interested in coastal communities and marine resources, academic researchers from Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom, as well as interested parties in marine management and policy. Representatives from each of GCRF Blue Communities 10 partner organizations and institutions were invited to present their work and participate in panel sessions sharing lessons learned from:
● Facilitating collaborative exchange among international partners to deliver and build capacity in interdisciplinary research
● Applying relevant research tools to address the challenges of coastal communities
● Disseminating the research findings to support coastal management decisions, and informing future efforts
This event provided a forum for the presentation and discussion of:
● The ecosystem services from natural capital in the Southeast Asia region
● Predicted changes in marine resources due to climate change, and how to prepare for the changes
● Trade-offs between conflicting demands on marine resources from different users
● Links between the marine coastal environment, ecosystems and human health
● Strategies for effective communication with, and engagement of stakeholders
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PEMSEA eBulletin - October 2025
Dear PEMSEA community,
Navigate through inspiring stories of renewed commitments, strengthened partnerships, and collective action this October!
Read about how Philippine mayors and local leaders from five coastal cities and municipalities pledged to strengthen local actions and solutions to reduce marine plastic pollution. The Mayors’ Conference on Reducing Marine Plastics in Manila brought together key decision-makers to sign the Mayors’ Compact and project agreements under the MOF/PEMSEA ODA Project, marking milestones toward cleaner and more sustainable coasts.
Know more about how PEMSEA reaffirmed its commitment to regional cooperation on sustainable ocean governance through the 34th Expanded Executive Committee (EC) Meeting led by Partnership Council Chair Atty. Jonas Leones, setting a clear implementation pathway toward achieving 2030 global targets.
On the ground, see how empowered communities under the Marine Plastics ODA Project are leading awareness and behavior change efforts across local sites—proving that real progress begins with collective local action.
Learn about the renewed partnership between the Government of Timor-Leste and the PEMSEA Resource Facility through the signing of a revised Memorandum of Understanding in Manila, ensuring continued collaboration for reducing marine plastics in the East Asian Seas region.
Explore the growing impact of the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project across Southeast Asia in their latest newsletter, from river basin consultations in the Philippines to the upcoming project rollout in Malaysia, and multistakeholder workshops advancing the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus approach.
This month, we also congratulate Mr. Yinfeng Guo for his election as IUCN Regional Councillor for South and East Asia, recognizing his long-standing leadership and contributions to regional ocean and coastal governance!