The 8th East Asian Seas (EAS) Ministerial Forum was held on 6 November 2024 at the Xiamen International Convention Center, PR China, as part of the East Asian Seas Congress 2024. Hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources of China and organized by PEMSEA, the forum was attended by Heads of Delegation from 10 PEMSEA Country Partners, members of the PEMSEA Executive Committee, representatives from Non-Country Partners, and other collaborators. The event highlighted the key points of the Xiamen Ministerial Declaration, reinforcing commitments to sustainable ocean governance and the implementation of the SDS-SEA.

The Global Estuaries Monitoring (GEM) Programme extended a formal invitation to all existing and potential partners to participate in an exclusive workshop meticulously crafted to provide a comprehensive update on the latest advancements and achievements within the GEM initiative. This workshop serves as a pivotal
platform for attendees to acquaint themselves with ongoing projects within GEM, delve into the innovative development of passive samplers, and collaboratively design the forthcoming phase of the GEM Programme.
 

Throughout this workshop, participants can expect:

• Detailed updates on the progress and notable achievements of the GEM Programme.
• Insightful sessions focusing on the groundbreaking development of novel passive samplers.
• Engaging discussions aimed at collectively shaping the future trajectory of the GEM Programme.

Prospective attendees were warmly encouraged to join this significant event, where
knowledge-sharing, exploration, and collaborative planning converge to steer the
Global Estuaries Monitoring Programme towards heightened success and impact.

The Yellow Sea is a maritime area shared by three countries, Republic of Korea, China, and Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and it contributes significantly to social and economic aspects. The Yellow Sea is a crucial habitat for migratory species such as marine mammals and migratory birds. Recently, China and Korea have been making efforts to protect their coastal areas by registering as UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites. Notably, the countries that share the Yellow Sea agree on the necessity for joint cooperation to preserve it. In this session, the policies, actions, and pending tasks of the Republic of Korea and China for Yellow Sea ecosystem conservation will be introduced, along with the discussion.

The PAM training workshop aimed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among environmental scientists and practitioners from East Asian Seas countries. With over 20 participants, the event provided a platform for discussing the latest advancements in environmental risk assessment (ERA) and management techniques.

The training session focused on new pollutants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and their impacts on marine ecosystems and public health. Discussions provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of these emerging challenges and equipped them with the knowledge to develop local solutions to global environmental issues. The workshop facilitated active engagement and collaboration, allowing participants to share their experiences and expertise in ERA and environmental management. This exchange of information and best practices was instrumental in enhancing the collective understanding of environmental risks and fostering a collaborative approach to addressing them.

The document contains the proceedings from the PNLC Executive Committee (EC) held 22 July 2024 in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.

The meeting was participated in by the President and Vice-President of the PNLC, the PEMSEA Executive Director the PNLC Secretariat from IPB and the PEMSEA Resource Facility. The agenda included:

·       Review of the PNLC Workplan
·       PNLC Secretariat Turnover MOA to CCMRS-IPB
·       Updates and plans on PNLC Financial Sustainability Efforts
·       New PNLC Membership Applications
·       PNLG-PNLC Joint Session at the EAS Congress 2024
·       4th PNLC General Assembly Agenda

The meeting was organized jointly by the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) and the Center for Coastal and Marine Resources Studies (CCMRS) of the IPB University, Indonesia with support from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines.

The Second Regional Steering Committee (RSC) meeting of the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Project
on Reducing Pollution and Preserving Environmental Flows in the East Asian Seas through
the Implementation of Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) in ASEAN Countries was
organized back-to-back with the 24th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources
Management (AWGWRM) on 2 July 2024 through a hybrid format, i.e., in-person at Bayon Era
Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia and online via Zoom.

Hosted by the Royal Government of Cambodia through the Ministry of Environment (MOE),
the meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Oudomsack Philavong, Chair of the ASEAN Working Group
on Water Resources Management (AWGWRM) and Mr. Gerd Trogemann, Manager of United
Nations Development Programme-Bangkok Regional Hub of Asia and the Pacific (UNDP-BRH).
The meeting was attended by the National Focal Points (NFPs) of the AWGWRM from the
ten (10) ASEAN Member States (AMS), i.e., Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao
PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC),
the East Asian Seas Executive Committee (EAS EC) and UNDP-BRH. The Regional Project
Management Unit (RPMU), hosted by PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) and MOE Cambodia
served as Secretariat to the RSC meeting.

The 16th EAS Partnership Council Meeting was held on July 23-24, 2024, at Costa Palawan Resort, Puerto Princesa, Philippines, and via Zoom. Onsite participants included the EAS PC Chair; the Intergovernmental Session Chair and Co-Chair; the Technical Session Co-Chair ; the Executive Director of the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF); country partners from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, Timor-Leste and Vietnam; non-country partners from the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), Oil Spill Response Ltd. (OSRL), PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG), and PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC) as an observer.

Online participants included the EAS PC Co-chair, Technical Session Chair, country partners from RO Korea and Singapore; non-country partners from the International Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas Center (EMECS), International Union for Conservation of Nature - Asia Regional Office (IUCN-ARO), Korea Institute for Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM), Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF), Ipieca and the National Marine Hazard Mitigation Service (NMHMS).

The meeting covered various topics including updates on the EAS Congress 2024, progress report on SDS-SEA Implementation 2023-2027, updates on the Blue Carbon Program, and preparations for the 8th Ministerial Forum. Key outcomes included approving NMHMS as a new non-country partner, discussing the draft Ministerial Declaration, and approving the PRF Work Plan and Budget for 2024-2025. The meeting concluded with recommendations for enhancing regional cooperation and sustainable coastal management in the East Asian Seas region.

The 32nd PEMSEA Executive Committee (EC) Meeting was conducted virtually on 19 March 2024 via Zoom. Participants of the meeting included the EC members , particularly the Chair and Co-Chair, Intergovernmental Session Chair and Co-Chair, the Technical Session Chair of the EAS Partnership Council (PC), and the Executive Director of the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF). Observers from the China PEMSEA Center, Ministry of Environment (MoE) of Cambodia, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines also attended the meeting. PRF served as the Secretariat of the meeting.