The East Asian Seas Congress 2024, in collaboration with the World Ocean Week in Xiamen, convened in Xiamen, China from November 6-8,  bringing together 855 delegates from 20 countries. Under the theme "Blue Synergy for a Shared Future: One Sustainable and Resilient Ocean," the Congress resulted in the signing of the Xiamen Ministerial Declaration, renewed partnerships, and strengthened commitments for sustainable ocean management in the East Asian region.

Located in the central region of northern Philippines, the Pasac -Guagua Watershed is a critical source of water and livelihood that supports 152 villages within the watershed. It is one of the major river systems that drain to Manila Bay, considered the main harbor of the country that is connected to a larger marine ecosystem, that is, the South China Sea.

The Pasac-Guagua Watershed is also a biodiversity haven where a portion of it is an important migratory path for water birds. The protection and sustainable management of the watershed is essential not only for the communities and wildlife thriving in the area for coastal and marine ecosystems connected to the river. 

The report provides an overview of the status and management of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCEs) in the East Asia Seas (EAS) region, which includes crucial habitats like mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, salt marshes, seaweed beds, and tidal flats. These ecosystems are key for carbon sequestration, climate regulation, and coastal resilience but are increasingly threatened by human activities such as coastal development and pollution. The study aims to evaluate the status of BCEs in Integrated Coastal Management and other local sites in the region, assess current management practices, and explore the interest in expanding Blue Carbon (BC) programs. A survey conducted across 20 sites in six countries, along with additional data from State of Oceans and Coasts reports, reveals the significant ecological and economic value of BCEs, while also highlighting persistent management challenges. The findings show a strong interest in BC initiatives, particularly in BCE restoration and conservation, and emphasize the need for improved data collection on less-represented BCEs. The report suggests that integrating these findings with market demand assessments will be crucial for developing effective BC programs and supporting sustainable practices in the EAS region.

Envisioned to guide in mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in IRBM Project implementation, the report provides information and perspectives on the GESI context (or gender and social similarities and differences) in the participating river basins in the ASEAN region, including the gendered impact of development challenges such as water scarcity and pollution, waste management, disasters, climate change, etc. as experienced by women, men and vulnerable populations living in and around the project sites. The report also suggests ways forward to enhance and mainstream GESI into work plans and budgets at the river basin level, a process that will be supported by the project.

Kampong Bay River Basin is one of the largest coastal river systems that supports over 184,000 people in the southern region of Cambodia. Today, rapid coastal and riverbank developments and the increasing water usage endanger the critical source of water in Kampot Province.
 

The Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, through the Ministry of Environment, is working together with PEMSEA, UNDP in Asia and the Pacific, Global Environment Facility, and ASEAN to arrest the rapid decline of water quality in Kampong Bay.

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 the ASEAN Countries is a 5-year project (2023-2027) with the goal of establishing functional IRBM mechanisms in priority river basins/sub-basins in the six ASEAN Member States (AMS), i.e., Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines and Viet Nam, for reducing pollution and sustaining freshwater environmental flows as well as adapting to climate change vulnerabilities.

The Project is designed to improve governance and management arrangements in IRBM and accelerate the required changes in the six AMS in support of national priorities, objectives and commitments to global sustainable development targets using the source to sea (S2S) framework. The Project is organized into 4 components with 5 major outcomes and 20 key outputs to achieve the project goal and objective.

This Inception Report outlines the operational strategy and approaches of the Project and how it will be implemented in 2023-2027, particularly focusing on the initiation of project activities in 2023 at the regional level and in the priority river basins of the six participating AMS. The report also presents the key results and recommendations from the Regional Inception Workshop, including the proposed next steps, for review and approval of the RSC.

Like in any other countries, water is essential to the life and culture of every Laotian. It drives the economy– from household and grassroots communities to national development.
 

Let us take you to the Nam Tha river basin in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and immerse in the story of how the river shapes the way of life of communities and its people.

The Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) in Cavite Province (Plastic Wastes Recycling Project) was funded with a grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc., and implemented by the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) in partnership with the Caritas Diocese of Imus Foundation, Inc and in close coordination with Cavite’s Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO).