In its resolution 64/71, the United Nations General Assembly decided that the eleventh meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (Consultative Process) would focus its discussions on capacity-building in ocean affairs and the law of the sea, including marine science. The present reporting material addresses this topic.

The Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) is a multisectoral regional partnership that promotes the application of integrated coastal management (ICM) for the sustainable development of marine and coastal areas in the East Asian Seas (EAS) Region. PEMSEA applies a number of tools and procedures as part of the ICM program development and implementation cycle. Two of these tools, namely the integrated information management system (IIMS) and the State of the Coasts (SOC) reporting system have been developed in order to facilitate the consolidation and integration of data/information on the physical, geographic, social, economic and environmental aspects of the ICM site. The IIMS and SOC strengthen marine and coastal area, and river basin management, as seen in the two examples of Manila Bay and Batangas Province. The comprehensive coverage and data sets contained in the IIMS allow ICM managers to generate a number of outputs that are vital to ICM program development and implementation. The SOC report consolidates data and evaluates it against selected indicators, providing a report card on trends in the area with respect to marine and coastal governance and environmental management programs.

The Coastal Land- and Sea-Use Zoning Plan (CLSUZP) reflects the optimistic value of specialized use pattern of the coastal areas of Bataan. It includes a set of actions to reduce conflicts among several users of the water body and coastal resources of the province and address major issues and areas of concern. The plan clearly indicates specific activities, timeframe, and responsible agencies/institutions to attain the corresponding objectives.

The State of the Coasts of Batangas Province was developed to assess the progress and impacts of ICM implementation in the Province. The report serves as the first comprehensive assessment of the Province's progress in terms of the SDCA framework, and in relation to its implementation of the Batangas Province Strategic Environmental Management Plan (2005-2020). This report was prepared through the concerted efforts of stakeholders, namely: national, provincial and municipal government agencies; nongovernment entities; the private sector; universities; and community groups. The contents of this report were validated through site visits to 10 coastal municipalities for field verification of information, and through interviews with government and nongovernment stakeholders throughout the Province. The results were reviewed and concurred by stakeholders during the final SOC workshop, which was conducted on 24 June 2008 in Batangas City, Philippines. In general, the Batangas SOC report noted positive developments in the province particularly in various governance aspects. The approach taken by the SOC and the focus on the local level provides important information on what is happening on the ground which is often not readily available. By building on strong data and monitoring system at the local level, the local SOC reports can eventually be rolled up into reliable national and regional SOC.

The Manila Bay Area Environmental Atlas provides a relevant source of information necessary in policy formulation, planning, decision-making, monitoring and integrated river basin and coastal area management. The Atlas describes physical, biological and socioeconomic characteristics of the Manila Bay Area (MBA), provides evidence of the valuable contribution of the habitats and resources to the people and economy of the area, delineates the various environmental issues in and around the bay, and reviews the actions that have been implemented to overcome challenges to sustainable development and management of the MBA. The Atlas is a compilation of data presented in thematic and composite maps, graphs and tables describing the characteristics and status or condition of the MBA. Each map is usually accompanied by a textual description of related findings, socioeconomic significance, risks and challenges that affect the MBA. Photographs are included in the document for better understanding of the places and features of the area.

The Bataan Sustainable Development Strategy constitutes broad statements of activities for long term (20 years) implementation of Bataan Integrated Coastal Management Program. This would serve as a comprehensive environmental management framework that would provide directions in achieving targeted outcomes and formulating a series of specific action plans and programs involving the participation of both government and non-government sectors. The Bataan Sustainable Development Strategy (BSDS) embodies the VISION and MISSION of the people of Bataan to chart a course for the preservation of Bataan's rich natural endowments. It is an optimistic statement by and for the people of Bataan to whom the province's natural resources, particularly the coastal environment, provide a source of livelihood, transportation, recreation, a sense of beauty, culture, and history. The sustainable development strategy is a document covering the environmental, economic, and social aspect of Bataan's natural endowments to which Bataeños ascribe different values and threats – real or perceived – that impair those values. It is not easy to turn this knowledge and concern into concrete actions. It would take combined efforts of the local government – from provincial level to municipal and barangay levels – and the various sectors comprising the civil society, to work hand in hand in realizing this vision and mission. This would involve the changing of people’s behavior and attitude, which is not a small task. The BSDS takes on this challenge by tasking every level of society with the responsibility of managing our God-given natural resources from our forest, rivers, and overall coastal environment. Dependence on a common resource will make it possible for us, stakeholders, to start realizing a common vision towards a sustainable natural resources management.

The Manila Bay Oil Spill Contingency Plan aims to outline the multi-sectoral arrangement for responding to oil spills in Manila Bay, with the end in view of protecting the Bay from oil pollution or, where this is not possible, to minimize it effects. It also aspires to ensure a timely, measured and effective response to oil spill incidents of tier 1 or tier 2 magnitudes which may occur within the Manila Bay.

The Xiamen ICM Project served as a “training laboratory” for ICM training, wherein local professionals shared their experiences and expertise in ICM program implementation. There are four key lessons that emerge from the Xiamen experience. These are: 1) Environmental and resource management projects are effective if there is political will and support from the government, both national and local, that is strong enough to ensure the passage of required legislation and funding support; 2) By linking scientists and other technical experts with the political decisionmakers, there is more room for rational choices that create positive environmental effects; 3) The ability of local citizens to contribute to improving the conditions of their environment succeeds because of their heightened awareness and exposure, training and willingness to take action when needed; and 4) A step-wise approach to problem solving is recommended, considering that problems cannot be addressed simultaneously.

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The Bohai Sea Sustainable Development Strategy (BS-SDS) describes the socioeconomic conditions of the Bohai Sea region, its cultural and environmental background, its resources, the values of its environmental diversity and the threats facing these values. It is premised on the Bohai Sea Declaration adopted in 2000 by the surrounding three provinces and one municipality, and was developed through concerted consultation and consensus building among coastal provinces, municipalities, government agencies, concerned sectors and other stakeholders. It is the stakeholders' response to the Bohai Sea Declaration.