Blue Economy Bulletin February 2017
PUBLICATION DATE:
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
PUBLICATION TYPE:
Magazines and Newsletters
STATUS:
Available (Newsletter)
DESCRIPTION:
Welcome to the first issue of the Blue Economy Bulletin for 2017! To begin the year, please help us continue to improve our delivery of relevant blue economy updates by answering this short survey (less than 5 minutes).
Kicking off 2017, PEMSEA hosted a webinar in partnership with Conservation International on how the ocean’s health is being measured. A recording is available online.
We start the year with good examples of progress on coastal and ocean sustainable development. Stanford scientists found proof that large marine protected areas create positive impacts on reef shark populations and UC Santa Barbara partnered with global leaders to help secure the future of the oceans. In Central Java, a restored mangrove forest generates ecotourism revenue for a local community.
Governments all over the world are strengthening their policies and enforcement on coasts and oceans. In East Asia, Vietnam announced its marine plans, Indonesia revealed its desire to crack down on fish aggregating devices, China committed to ocean economy demonstration zones and the Philippines strengthened its protection of a marine biodiversity hotspot. In Europe, countries are pushing for increased transparency in fisheries outside the EU.
Innovations such as blockchain technology, breakthrough methods of recycling ocean plastic and sustainable aquaculture feed offer examples of some of the new technologies and practices that can help solve some of our most pressing ocean issues. Organizations continue to push the boundaries of conservation finance with a new report from Forest Trends’ Ecosystem Marketplace on private capital invested towards environmental conservation, and leading global banks launching a framework aimed at channeling investments towards achieving the UN SDGs. Read on for more.
Follow the latest updates on blue economy and coastal sustainable development in East Asia on Facebook and Twitter at @PEMSEA. We welcome your feedback.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
PEMSEA Regional Methodology for Blue Carbon Project Accounting
A Harmonized Guide for Estimating Carbon Stocks, Sequestration, and GHG Reductions in Coastal Ecosystems
Differences in measurement methods, carbon pool inclusion, and monitoring frameworks have made blue carbon projects in East Asia hard to compare. PEMSEA’s Regional Methodology addresses this with a single accounting framework for mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes. It is designed to be compatible with national greenhouse gas inventories and technically aligned with voluntary carbon credit certification requirements.
The Main Methodology sets out project eligibility and additionality, boundaries and stratification, baseline and project scenarios, uncertainty management, a tiering system, leakage, permanence and risk management, and monitoring, reporting, and verification. Five technical annexes provide the field and analytical detail:
- Annex A – Mangrove Ecosystems: carbon stock and sequestration assessment methods
- Annex B – Seagrass Ecosystems: carbon stock and sequestration assessment methods
- Annex C – Salt Marsh Ecosystems: carbon stock and sequestration assessment methods
- Annex D – Mapping Blue Carbon Ecosystems: remote sensing, validation, and change detection
- Annex E – Monitoring Environmental Parameters: the environmental conditions that influence blue carbon ecosystems
The methodology was prepared under the guidance of the Blue Carbon Technical Working Group of the EAS Partnership Council, with contributions from experts across the region. It is intended for project developers, national agencies, researchers, and verifiers working to bring high-integrity blue carbon projects to market.
INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON BLUE CARBON ECOSYSTEM VALUES: Accounting and Crediting Guidance Frameworks
The Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) and Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) convened the International Seminar on Blue Carbon Ecosystem Values in Busan, Republic of Korea. The seminar gathered representatives from six East Asian countries, academic institutions, and regional partners to validate enhancements to the Regional Blue Carbon Accounting Protocol (RBCAP), review biodiversity accounting and crediting approaches, and define PEMSEA’s role in governance, verification, and market development. Key outcomes included expert recommendations to strengthen the RBCAP, shared insights on biodiversity crediting pathways, and a clearer vision of PEMSEA’s added value as a regional platform for advancing blue carbon and biodiversity markets.
The 2026 PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG) and PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC) Joint Learning Forum
The 2026 PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG) and PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC) Joint Learning Forum, themed “Empowering Coastal Cities for a Blue Future,” was organized by the PNLG and PNLC in collaboration with the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Coastal 500, and the PEMSEA Resource Facility. The Forum was hosted by the Metropolitan City of Busan, Republic of Korea. The Joint Learning Forum took place on 8 September 2026 at Paradise Hotel Busan as part of the 2026 PNLG Annual Forum (8-10 September 2026). It featured two panel discussions: Local Pathways for Blue Carbon and Nature-Based Solutions, and Capitalizing on Coasts: Financing and Innovating Local Blue Economies.
Proceedings of the 5th PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC) Executive Committee Meeting 2026
The document contains the proceedings from the PNLC Executive Committee (EC) held 9 September 2026 in Busan, Republic of Korea.
The meeting was participated in by the President and Vice-President of the PNLC, the PEMSEA Executive Director, and the PNLC Secretariat from IPB and the PEMSEA Resource Facility. The agenda included:
- Workplan 2026-2027
- Updates on PNLC Expenditure and Financial Sustainability
Other Business:
- PRF Project Updates
- 2027 EAS Congress
- ICM Report
- Nature-based Solutions Capacity-building
PEMSEA Blue Carbon Program Updates
PEMSEA eBulletin - September 2026
September connected regional decisions with local action—from a new declaration in Busan to community-led work across the region.
In Busan, the 2026 PNLG General Assembly adopted the Busan Declaration on Promoting Local Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Blue Economy and welcomed Atauro Island, Timor-Leste, as the Network’s newest member. Meanwhile, PEMSEA Founder Dr. Chua Tia-Eng returned to the PEMSEA Resource Facility for a discussion with colleagues on PEMSEA’s history, lessons, and continuing role in advancing sustainable coastal and ocean governance.
PEMSEA project updates include the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN IRBM Project advanced planning for food and biodegradable waste management in the Pasac-Guagua Watershed, while the PRICELESS Project brought stakeholders together in Regions 3 and 4A to tackle challenges and priorities for the Philippine Rise.
In the Philippines and Timor-Leste, MEP partners under the MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics ODA Project mobilized communities, schools, government agencies and civil society organizations for International Coastal Cleanup activities, turning awareness of marine plastic pollution into action on the ground.