Proceedings of the workshop on Turning Blue: The Role of Cities in Forwarding Blue Carbon Solutions towards Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (EASC2018 Session 1 Workshop 2)
PUBLICATION DATE:
Friday, November 30, 2018
PUBLICATION TYPE:
Meeting Documents
STATUS:
Only Available Online
DESCRIPTION:
Attended by at least 42 participants representing local government units, national government agencies, academe, private sector, local communities, and other key stakeholder groups, the session aimed to revisit the important role that local governments play in designing and implementing innovative blue carbon solutions. The activity became a venue to discuss and share strategies and programs towards integrated marine resource management.
Fostering an interactive and dynamic interaction amongst the participants, the session employed the Marketplace Activity approach. The resource speakers presented posters highlighting the blue carbon solutions that they are implementing in their respective localities. To enable the participants to directly engage and discuss with the speakers, the plenary was divided into groups and each group was given the chance to visit each poster station. As a culminating activity, the resource speakers and the participants gathered for a panel discussion that summarized the highlights of the session. The panel discussion was also a venue for the participants to express additional questions, insights, ideas, and other pertinent feedback related to the topic of the session.
Key learnings from the workshop centered on recognizing the importance of community participation. The resource speakers noted that local governments should always encourage and solicit the engagement and cooperation of its stakeholders, particularly the local communities who can be tapped as stewards of the marine ecosystems. In addition, the session also put premium on the enforcement of the laws and policies in place. The participants and the speakers agree that ordinances pertaining to fishing activities, harvesting of marine resource, pollution, and others should be strictly enforced at all times. The local government should allocate resources to support the operations of local enforcement groups such as the Bantay Dagat.
Another theme of the discussions is linkages and partnership building. Recognizing that the effects of climate change know no boundaries, the local governments maintained that partnership building with neighboring municipalities, national agencies, academe, private sector, and others is a strategic approach to integrated marine resource management. Inter-LGU cooperation and networking also scales up blue carbon solutions and allows them to pool their resources to expand the coverage of their initiative. A good example for this is the Oriental Mindoro Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network, a province-wide effort to uphold and preserve the biophysical integrity of the seas of Oriental Mindoro.
As a knowledge sharing session, the participants and the resource speakers also discussed key points and considerations for replication of the presented strategies. The resource speakers noted that municipalities should assess their challenges, context, and priorities first before they design their own blue carbon initiatives.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
-
PEMSEA EBulletin - June 2024
Dear PEMSEA community,
Welcome to the June e-bulletin.
This month, the Arafura Timor Seas Ecosystem Action Project conducted the Senior Government Officials Meeting to finalize preparations for the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) Ministerial Forum which will be held in Dili, Timor Leste on 19-20 Setember 2024. The month also saw the passing of new fisheries management legislation in the South Fly District of Papua New Guinea.
The annual PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Executive Committee Meeting saw the induction of a new associate member, the Dongying Huanhai Institute for Marine Conservation and Development. PEMSEA's Marine Plastics Project held several Ocean Day initiatives throughout the Philippines, in cooperation with local government, NGOs, and academe. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), China, released a new assessment on China’s coastal and marine ecosystems, documenting challenges and successes for China's marine and coastal areas.
The program for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024 has been released. The congress has four subthemes: Ocean Science, Policy, and Practice; Global Challenges, Local Solutions; Innovation and Digitalization of Ocean Action; and Blue Financing and Investments. We invite all interested parties to register for the Congress, that will take place on 6-8 November in Xiamen. China.
-
PEMSEA Annual Report 2023: Thirty Years On: Accelerating Impact for Thriving Coasts and Ocean in the East Asian Seas Region
Thirty years of inclusive sustainable development work in the coastal and marine areas of the East Asian Seas region have brought significant benefits and lasting impacts to PEMSEA partners and communities. The Annual Report 2023 brings you the stories and milestones of the Partnerships, commemorating the thirty years of Partnerships, and looks ahead to a new decade of inclusive and sustainable ocean governance in the East Asian Seas region.
-
PEMSEA EBulletin - May 2024
Dear PEMSEA community,
Welcome to the May e-bulletin.
This month, PEMSEA gratefully received many expressions of interest to convene sessions on various coastal and marine themes at the EAS Congress 2024 on 6-8 November 2024, noting the importance of learning exchange and pursuing more collaborative actions to tackle global challenges. The IRBM project has released its second 2024 newsletter, highlighting key progress, including a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis of planned activities to ensure equitable resource distribution and conflict prevention. PEMSEA attended the Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Blue Economy to help build a shared understanding of blue economy and financing. ASEAN has released the Sixth ASEAN State of the Environment Report, and PEMSEA is monitoring the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee's discussions on a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution to incorporate relevant insights into its regional projects.
We would like to take this opportunity to invite all interested parties to register for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, with early bird rates available until 30 June.
-
GEF/UNDP/ASEAN IRBM Project: GESI Analysis Report
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.
-
Integrated River Basin Management Project Newsletter - Edition 2
With the title "Connection and Voices: Setting the Sail in 2024," the second edition of the Integrated River Basin Management Project Newsletter highlighted the promotion of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) to ensure a more inclusive approach in the implementation of all project components. Hear from the voices of community and local partners on the issues confronting the river basins in their respective countries, and the importance of representing the marginalised and more vulnerable sectors in the community.