Initiatives in East Asia for Addressing Transboundary Issues

Since 2003, a number of subregional transboundary projects on marine and coastal environmental management have been initiated or are progressing, each with a goal of developing a subregional Strategic Action Plan (SAP), and led by concerned countries, donor agencies, UN organizations, international NGOs, etc.In reviewing these projects/programmes, the 2nd EAS Partnership Council Meeting (July 2008) noted the need for collaboration between these projects/programmes for creating synergies and sharing knowledge in order to reduce possible duplication of effort, inefficient use of resources, and limited sharing of knowledge, experience, skills and tools. The need for an effective coordination mechanism for the region among the various projects/programmes and implementing agencies/organizations was also noted by the Council.Hence, the workshop on Addressing Transboundary issues through regional and subregional seas cooperation at the EAS Congress 2009 served as a venue to discuss various transboundary environmental issues and their implementing mechanisms, especially on governance, and identified good practices and areas of collaboration among the stakeholders involved.