Breadcrumb
- Home
- Collab 11 Managing Networks and Transboundary Cooperation Marine
Collab 11: Managing Networks and Transboundary Cooperation on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the ASEAN Region
PUBLICATION DATE:
Wednesday, February 02, 2022
PUBLICATION TYPE:
Meeting Documents
STATUS:
Only Available Online
DESCRIPTION:
The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), in collaboration with the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), conducted a virtual session entitled Managing Networks and Transboundary Cooperation on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the ASEAN Region as one of the pre-congress events of the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress. The session was held on 21 October 2021 and hosted and moderated by Ms. Antoinette Taus, Founder and Executive Director of Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA).
The virtual session aimed to discuss the status and progress of transboundary management of coastal and marine biodiversity in the ASEAN region. In particular, it sought to highlight the various initiatives and collaborative actions on sustaining healthy coastal and marine ecosystems through transboundary cooperation such as:
a. the concept of transboundary management in the context of Large MarineEcosystems (LMEs) to mitigate biodiversity loss and maintain productive coastal andmarine environment in the region;
b. the transboundary approaches at site, national, and regional levels in managingcoastal and marine habitats for migratory species;
c. lessons learned, good practices, and future plans related to strengthening capacitiesfor the conservation and sustainable management of MPAs;
d. effective management of MPAs through science-based approaches including keyemerging issues affecting coastal and marine environment in the ASEAN, such asclimate change and marine litter; and
e. communication, education, and public awareness (CEPA) strategies to advocate issuesdrivers of biodiversity loss.
The session also zoomed in on transboundary management in relation to the achievement of national, regional, and global commitments such as the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF), UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, and Sustainable Development Strategy of the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) implementation. These commitments will contribute to the Congress’s goal in establishing a roadmap on transformative blue solutions for the next decade. Thus, the session presented an opportunity to forge new collaborations and partnerships among the ASEAN Member States (AMS) in protecting its coastal and marine environment, especially in improving the management of MPAs.
Participants of the session were composed of local, national, and regional representatives from AMS, academe, research institutions, non-governmental organisations, development partners from the ASEAN region and beyond. The programme appears as Annex 2 to this document, while Annex 3 contains the list of participants and Annex 4 the links to the recording and presentation materials.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
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.
Proceedings of the Fourth RSC Meeting of the IRBM Project
The Fourth 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 held on 08 July 2026 in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in conjunction with the 26th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management (AWGWRM). Co-chaired by Mr. Oudomsack Philavong, AWGWRM Chairperson, and Mr. Gerd Trogemann of UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, the meeting brought together 55 participants from ASEAN Member States (AMS), the ASEAN Secretariat, UNDP, PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF), and the East Asian Seas Executive
Committee, both in-person and online.The Meeting reviewed implementation progress of the six participating ASEAN Member States and the regional component, including key achievements, lessons learned, implementation challenges, co-financing delivery, and planned next steps. The RSC also reviewed progress in implementing the approved Mid-Term Review (MTR) Management Response, the preparation of the 2026 Project Implementation Report (PIR), the planned activities for the third and fourth quarters of 2026, and the proposed 2027 Annual Work Plan and Budget, including the proposed no-cost extension of the Project.