Welcome to the October 2022 Blue Economy Bulletin. Last week saw the hosting of the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Annual Forum 2022. This hybrid forum brought together local governments and other stakeholders in coastal and ocean management from throughout the seas of East Asia, including a new local government member, Gorontalo Province.

At the forum, an ICM session saw examples of effective ICM implementation shared, including the use of fisheries closures, incorporating SDGs into development goals, and linking coastal and riverine management. The host, Tangerang Regency, shared information on its Gerbang Mapan program.

This month also saw a strengthening of the PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC), with an agreement to establish a Secretariat at IPB University, in Bogor Indonesia. We also share an interview with Stephen Ross on the value of State of the Coasts reporting.

Follow the latest updates on blue economy and coastal sustainable development in East Asia on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA). We welcome your feedback, and please let us know if there are other blue economy topics you would like to see in future newsletters and programs.

Welcome to the September 2022 PEMSEA e-update. This month we welcome the continued partnership with SKLMP, who have been redesignated as a regional Center of Excellent (RCOE). We look forward to the PEMSEA Network of Local Government (PNLG) annual forum, and wish a fond farewell to PEMSEA friend Andrew Hudson. In between newsletters, follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA) for the latest updates.

Welcome to the August 2022 PEMSEA Blue Economy Bulletin. We would like you to join PEMSEA at the upcoming UN Climate Conference meeting (COP27), where PEMSEA will join the Virtual Ocean Pavilion. This month we share interviews on PEMSEA's development and on the growth in Integrated Coastal Management (ICM), as well as a site visit to ICM sites in the Philippines. The 2022 Youth Video and Small Grants Competitions are ongoing.

In wider news, no agreement was reached for a high seas treaty, while new research has put the percentage of marine life at risk from climate change at 90% and the economic impacts of climate change are expected to be in the trillions. However, Indonesia has announced plans to expand its protected seas, and new research has come out on the link between marine management and ecosystem services.

Follow the latest updates on blue economy and coastal sustainable development in East Asia on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA). We welcome your feedback, and please let us know if there are other blue economy topics you would like to see in future newsletters and programs.

Welcome to the July 2022 PEMSEA e-update. This month we welcome new leaders at the East Asian Seas Partnership Council. We also share the release of an LGU toolkit on marine litter, a draft regional strategy for biofouling management, and an updated briefing on the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments. In between newsletters, follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA) for the latest updates.

Welcome to the June 2022 Blue Economy Bulletin. This month, PEMSEA hosted the the Annual East Asian Seas Roundtable Dialogue entitled Ocean and Climate Dialogue: East Asian Seas' Response to the Global Climate Change Challenge. We also  launched the EAS Futures Video and Small Grants Competitions, open to those under 30 in the East Asian region and  shared progress made in Guimaras province on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, as well as a story of a local teacher-champion on the war against plastic wastes in Cavite  from the ASEANO plastic pollution project.

June also saw  progress in global Ocean Management, with a WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies,  followed by the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon Portugal. A hotter than normal summer highlights the need for climate change adaptation, while a new projection on waste growth by the OECD shows the necessity of better waste management.

Follow the latest updates on blue economy and coastal sustainable development in East Asia on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA). We welcome your feedback, and please let us know if there are other blue economy topics you would like to see in future newsletters and programs.

Welcome to the May PEMSEA e-bulletin. Ahead of the 'Our Ocean Conference' in Lisbon, Portugal, on 27 June - 1 July, we share a message on the progress of Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water, an SDG that is integral to the health of our shared seas and the communities around them. We also invite you to an Ocean and Climate Dialogue on the region's response to Climate Change. Wrapping up, we share our annual report, a call for papers by the Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, and ocean updates from country partners. In between newsletters, follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA) for the latest updates.

Welcome to the April 2022 Blue Economy Bulletin. Knowing a blue economy cannot be achieved without climate action, we would like to invite you to our upcoming Ocean and Climate Dialogue, taking place on 8 June. Our work towards different aspects of the Blue Economy continues, including research on riverine plastic pollution and working to implement a ship port waste management system.

This month also saw the announcement of the winners of our 2022 EASF Youth Photo Competition, with entries showcasing the range of ways that the ocean affects daily life. Also released was the ATSEA-2 Annual Report 2021, which looked at actions taken in the Arafura and Timor Seas region to pursue long-term sustainability.

In wider Blue Economy news, the IPCC has released a new report, a final warning for the global community regarding the need to bring down carbon emissions. Deep-sea mining negotiations continue, ship tracking is improving, and an international coalition against ghost gear is growing.

Follow the latest updates on blue economy and coastal sustainable development in East Asia on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA). We welcome your feedback, and please let us know if there are other blue economy topics you would like to see in future newsletters and programs.

Welcome to PEMSEA's March 2022 e-update. This month we share some blue economy initiatives by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, alongside a video they shared at the East Asian Seas Congress 2021. We have also released the full Post-Congress Report. Celebrating work in the region, we share a story on Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) in Chonburi, Thailand, as well spotlight some of the amazing women working towards a sustainable future around the seas of East Asia. We also feature ocean news stories from around the world. We applaud countries for agreeing to negotiate an end to plastic pollution and hope that a consensus on the high seas treaty will not be too far behind. In between newsletters, follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA) for the latest updates.

Welcome to the first PEMSEA Blue Economy Bulletin of 2022. With COVID-19 having caused an increase in plastic pollution, PEMSEA shares the work of junkshops in Cavite, which play a crucial role in managing waste. We also thank recent participants of our youth internship program, and remind everyone of a final chance to submit to the EAS Futures Youth Photo Competition.

Plastic pollution is also a target of international discussions, and recent research includes the significant of paint microplastics and microplastic accumulation in river sediment. Greater investment in a blue economy has been called for, which may include improvements in seaweed farming, or improving eco-tourism.

Follow the latest updates on blue economy and coastal sustainable development in East Asia on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA). We welcome your feedback, and please let us know if there are other blue economy topics you would like to see in future newsletters and programs.