Dear PEMSEA community,

Welcome to the August e-bulletin!

We have a little over 60 days before EAS Congress 2024 kicks off! Do check out the messages from Dr. Vann Monyneath, Chair of the EAS Partnership Council, alongside key officials Sun Shuxian, Vice Minister of Natural Resources, and Huang Wenhui, Mayor of Xiamen, inviting the global ocean community to join us in this triennial event to foster stronger regional collaboration in ocean governance and management.

This month’s bulletin also features the winners of the “Humans of East Asian Seas” challenge which we launched last year to commemorate PEMSEA’s 30th anniversary. Thirty local champions of coastal and marine conservation across the region were selected, with the top three profiled in this bulletin in recognition of their contributions in promoting sustainable coastal development, namely: Ms. Masako Bannai Otsuka of Japan, Mr. Prak Visal of Cambodia, and Dr. Wang Jinhe of China.

We also want to inform you about the new features on the SEA Knowledge Bank platform. The revamped platform now includes an e-library of scientific publications, an interactive map of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) sites, and new resources from ongoing projects.

Local government officials from Tangerang Regency, Indonesia, recently completed an ICM study tour in Batangas City, Philippines. The visit, held from 30 July to 1 August 2024, facilitated LGU to LGU knowledge exchange on sustainable coastal practices and management strategies.

The GEF/UNDP/ASEAN River Basin Project organized a Regional Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Workshop in Bogor City, Indonesia, on 6-7 August 2024. The workshop brought together participants from seven river basins in ASEAN member states to discuss regional GESI analysis, develop stakeholder maps, and improve capacity for mainstreaming GESI principles in river basin management programs.

In other updates, a recent PEMSEA study reveals growing interest in Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCEs) across the East Asian Seas region. BCE projects, focusing on mangroves, seagrasses, and other critical habitats, are advancing efforts in conservation, research, and restoration.

From the ATSEA-2 Project, global experts convened in Bali, Indonesia for the Global Dialogue on Sustainable Ocean Development with ATSEA-2 Regional Project Manager, Dr. Handoko Adi Susanto representing ATSEA/PEMSEA in the dialogue.

The 2024 EAS Congress will be hosted by China in Xiamen from 6-8 November 2024. It is organized through a partnership between the Ministry of Natural Resources of China, the Xiamen Municipal People’s Government, and PEMSEA.

The event will take place in conjunction with Xiamen World Ocean Week, featuring the city's commitment to sustainable ocean management and regional collaboration.

For more information, visit the 2024 EAS Congress website.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Welcome to the July e-bulletin.

We are pleased to announce the release of the program for the International Conference segment of the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2024, set to take place on 6-8 November 2024 with the theme “Blue Synergy for a Shared Future: One Sustainable and Resilient Ocean.” The International Conference will feature a range of activities, including Plenary and Parallel Sessions, Workshops, and exhibits. Do register to join using the button below.

Also in the news, the third edition of the IRBM Project Newsletter features the launch of the State of the River Basin Reporting for seven priority river basins, as well as the 2nd Regional Steering Committee Meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, field visits to the Kampong Bay River Basin, and discussions on the project scope and boundaries in the Pasac Watershed in the Philippines.

The ATSEA-2 Project is working on mangrove conservation in the Aru Archipelago’s Southeast Aru Marine Protected Area. The second quarter ATSEA-2 newsletter highlights key environmental initiatives in the Arafura and Timor Seas region, including the senior officials’ meeting in Brisbane that finalized the draft for the ATS Ministerial Forum. It also details the new Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for 2024-2033, adopted by Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste, along with the adoption of Papua New Guinea's first local-level fisheries management law and the inauguration of the Tok Derek Women’s Cooperative fish shop in Timor-Leste.

From our partners, the Second Bataan State of the Coasts (SOC) evaluated the province’s progress in ICM implementation from 2017-2022, using the First Bataan SOC report, which covered data from 2000 to 2015, as a baseline. The East Asian Seas Initiative on Clean Oceans (EASICO) project concluded noting achievements in citizen science and marine plastic pollution reduction. Dongying integrates industrial growth with environmental stewardship through its Integrated Coastal Zone Management strategy.  

"Collaboration Beyond Boundaries" is the third edition of the Integrated River Basin Management Project, which highlights the coming together of governments and partners from ASEAN member states for the regional workshop on the State of River Basin and the 2nd Regional Steering Committee Meeting. Cooperation among national and local partners continue to drive the implementation of the Project in four priority river basins while the remaining three are gearing for implementation in the second half of 2024.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Welcome to the June e-bulletin.

This month, the Arafura Timor Seas Ecosystem Action Project conducted the Senior Government Officials Meeting to finalize preparations for the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) Ministerial Forum which will be held in Dili, Timor Leste on 19-20 Setember 2024. The month also saw the passing of new fisheries management legislation in the South Fly District of Papua New Guinea.

The annual PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Executive Committee Meeting saw the induction of a new associate member, the Dongying Huanhai Institute for Marine Conservation and Development. PEMSEA's Marine Plastics Project held several Ocean Day initiatives throughout the Philippines, in cooperation with local government, NGOs, and academe. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), China, released a new assessment on China’s coastal and marine ecosystems, documenting challenges and successes for China's marine and coastal areas.

The program for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024 has been released. The congress has four subthemes: Ocean Science, Policy, and Practice; Global Challenges, Local Solutions; Innovation and Digitalization of Ocean Action; and Blue Financing and Investments. We invite all interested parties to register for the Congress, that will take place on 6-8 November in Xiamen. China.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Welcome to the May e-bulletin.

This month, PEMSEA gratefully received many expressions of interest to convene sessions on various coastal and marine themes at the EAS Congress 2024 on 6-8 November 2024, noting the importance of learning exchange and pursuing more collaborative actions to tackle global challenges. The IRBM project has released its second 2024 newsletter, highlighting key progress, including a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis of planned activities to ensure equitable resource distribution and conflict prevention. PEMSEA attended the Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Blue Economy to help build a shared understanding of blue economy and financing. ASEAN has released the Sixth ASEAN State of the Environment Report, and PEMSEA is monitoring the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee's discussions on a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution to incorporate relevant insights into its regional projects.

We would like to take this opportunity to invite all interested parties to register for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, with early bird rates available until 30 June.

With the title "Connection and Voices: Setting the Sail in 2024," the second edition of the Integrated River Basin Management Project Newsletter highlighted the promotion of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) to ensure a more inclusive approach in the implementation of all project components. Hear from the voices of community and local partners on the issues confronting the river basins in their respective countries, and the importance of representing the marginalised and more vulnerable sectors in the community. 

Dear PEMSEA community,

Happy Earth Month and welcome to the April 2024 e-Bulletin!

This month, PEMSEA has organized a series of activities to mark Earth Month. Our main focus has been on the sustainable management of the Earth for future generations. The highlight of our events was the EAS Youth Forum 2024, which brought together 19 young leaders from 10 countries in the East Asian Seas region. This forum served as a pre-EAS Congress platform for building knowledge, forging friendships, and solidifying actions to shape the ocean we need for the future we want. Additionally, we held a Marine Plastics Learning Exchange aimed at enhancing local capacity in the Philippines and Timor-Leste. Furthermore, the UNDP/GEF/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) project conducted a regional workshop, bringing representatives from six ASEAN countries to improve the monitoring and measurement of select Southeast Asian priority river basins.

We would like to take this opportunity to invite all interested parties to submit an Expression of Interest in the EAS Congress 2024 before 15 May.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Greetings and welcome to the March 2024 e-Bulletin!

Registration is open for interested participants to the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, which will take place under the theme "Blue Synergy for a Shared Future: One Sustainable and Resilient Ocean”. The event is being held in collaboration with the Xiamen World Ocean Week (XWOW) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources in Xiamen, China and the Xiamen Municipal People’s Government.

We share a story about one of the areas covered by our IRBM project, the Nam Tha River Basin in Lao PDR, a tributary of the Mekong River. In the lead up to the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, the PEMSEA Executive Committee convened to agree on actions and recommendations for the partnerships to address in the coming months, and we look forward to the first event next month, the East Asian Seas Congress 2024 Youth Forum.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Greetings and welcome to the February 2024 e-Bulletin!

Registration is now open for the triennial summit for the seas of East Asia, the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, which will take place under the theme "Blue Synergy for a Shared Future: One Sustainable and Resilient Ocean”. The event is being held in collaboration with the Xiamen World Ocean Week (XWOW) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources in Xiamen, China and the Xiamen Municipal People’s Government..

The start of the year has seen progress in PEMSEA’s projects throughout the region. The Timor-Leste National Project Board for marine plastic pollution has had its inaugural meeting. PEMSEA also met with officials in Singapore to discuss ongoing collaboration, and we share progress from our partners, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) of Cambodia and Preah Sihanouk province, in the sustainable development of the Prek Kampong Smach waterway.

PEMSEA is closely following the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) taking place at this time, as well as developments in external research, such as improved knowledge about the trapping of microplastics in coastal vegetation, the launch of a new satellite that will improve climate modeling, and the slated construction of a new pilot carbon capture plant in Singapore.