Proceedings of the Fifth Regional Twinning Workshop on Integrated River Basin and Coastal Area Management: Meeting Challenges of Pollution in River Basins and Coastal Areas

"Steering the Flow" is the fifth edition of the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project's newsletter, highlighting key milestones and meetings for the last quarter of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. From the IRBM Project's participation in the 2024 East Asian Seas Congress and The Pavilion for People at the 2025 World Economic Forum, to the launch of the State of River Basin Guidebook and the ongoing assessment of the interplay between water use conflicts and the water-energy-food-ecosystem security nexus in ASEAN river basins — the IRBM Project is set to steer the governance and management of priority river basins in ASEAN Member States.

The Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) and ESCAP Subregional Office for
East and North-East Asia jointly organized a session titled “Harmonizing Oceans: Transboundary Strategies for Climate Resilience in North-East Asia”. This session highlighted the role of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) under the Coastal and Marine Spatial
Planning (CSMP) regime in North-East Asia and beyond in fostering regional resilience against climate impacts and promoting ecosystem conservation.

Key topics included:

• Understanding Climate Change Impacts: Examining how climate change affects marine ecosystems in this region.
• Applying CMSP Strategies: Sharing successful CMSP strategies and their role in climate-related conservation efforts (e.g., blue carbon, community-led habitat restoration).
• Enhancing Transboundary Cooperation: Discussing how multi-stakeholder engagement can strengthen regional conservation initiatives.

Additionally, the session underscored capacity building and knowledge exchange, providing a platform for member States and relevant stakeholders to share best practices and enhance skills for managing MPAs and addressing regional marine environmental challenges.
 

Dear PEMSEA community,

Welcome to 2025!

We hope you have recovered from the successes and challenges in 2024 and are ready to step  into the new year with firm resolve to work with us in driving synergistic actions and building resilience across the East Asian Seas region.  

This January, we’re excited to share updates on our ongoing efforts!  Check out  our recent study on Harmonizing Blue Carbon Accounting, comparing practices in Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia,  the Philippines, and VERRA international standards and discover why harmonization is key to effective climate action. Celebrate the milestones of the Marine Plastics ODA Project and the plans for 2025 as we ramp up efforts to tackle marine plastics aligned with global, national, and local targets.

Learn how the East Asian Seas region is fighting the Triple Planetary Crises (TPC) through regional partnerships and stronger collaborations. Discover Yancheng City,  a pioneer in digital-green transformation and PNLG’s newest member. Finally, join PEMSEA and the Philippines in celebrating Zero-Waste Month, promoting sustainable waste management for a cleaner, zero-waste future!

The conduct of baseline assessment of the Source-to-Sea (S2S) management continuum with a targeted outcome of improving understanding of governance, socioeconomic, ecological conditions, gaps and needs of priority river basins/sub-basins and associated
coastal areas through the State of River Basin (SORB) reporting system is one of the major outcomes of the implementation 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 the ASEAN Countries. The SORB reporting system aims to:

a) Establish baseline conditions in a river basin/associated coastal area prior to the startup of the IRBM program, including changes that are climate related;

b) Assess progress, achievements and shortcomings of ongoing IRBM programs by determining changing conditions with respect to governance and social and economic conditions, including gender gaps as well as trends and/or emerging environmental issues; and

c) Develop recommendations for continual improvement of IRBM programs including recommendations on ensuring gender responsiveness and incorporating gender equality, where appropriate for consideration by national and local governments and other relevant stakeholders in each river basin/coastal area.

The world faces the Triple Planetary Crises (TPC)—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—which require integrated solutions rather than isolated approaches. Some solutions may conflict with others, while well-designed strategies can address multiple crises simultaneously. Identifying synergies and trade-offs is essential for effective action.

East Asian Seas countries have committed to tackling these challenges through global and regional frameworks, including the SDGs, KM-GBF, UNFCCC, UNEA, and ASEAN initiatives. However, many marine and coastal projects in the region remain fragmented, lacking coordination and missing opportunities for collaboration. Strengthening partnerships can optimize resources, enhance impact, and avoid duplication of efforts.

This session focuses on the efforts of regional marine environmental institutions in promoting coordination and collaboration for the sustainable governance of the East Asian Seas region. The session brought together strategic partners and stakeholders, including PEMSEA, IUCN, IOC-WESTPAC, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, amongst others, to move towards a future where coordination and integration is standard.