EAS Congress 2012 Workshop Series: Accelerating Blue Innovations in Support of an Ocean-based Blue Economy

 

Quezon City, Philippines —The International Conference of the East Asian Seas Congress 2012 will be holding a series of workshops on the subtheme “Accelerating Blue Innovations in Support of an Ocean-based Blue Economy,” from July 9 to 11 in Changwon City, Republic of Korea.

 

The four workshops, each session covering an individual sub-topic, will be part of the second of five major subthemes that will be part of the triennial regional event. All themes highlight the important aspects of sustainable coastal and ocean development necessary in realizing a blue economy.

 

The workshop series on “Accelerating Blue Innovations in Support of an Ocean-based Blue Economy” aims to highlight new and innovative technologies, strategies and practices that are now being used providing sustainable solutions towards a blue economy. Furthermore, this series would also tackle various tools and applications on monitoring and assessing the current state of the oceans and coasts. Lastly, strategies in assessing and reducing the risks of man-made and climate-related disasters would also be discussed. The subtheme will be chaired by Prof. Stephen de Mora, Chief Executive of both the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and PML Applications, Ltd.

 

Workshop 1: Enabling an Ocean-based Blue Economy at the Local Level through Innovative Technologies and Applications

 

The workshop focuses on the innovative technologies and approaches being used for sustainable development and management of marine and coastal ecosystems. Furthermore, the workshop will explore how these blue innovations and strategies can be used or implemented at the local level. The workshop is co-convened by the First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration of PR China.

 

Workshop 2: Monitoring, Reporting, and Forecasting: Applications, Benefits, and On-the-ground Applications

 

Recent advancements in ocean science and space technology are in line with the strategies for achieving an ocean-based blue economy. The challenge now is how to use these tools in supporting sustainable marine and coastal management at the grassroots level.

 

The workshop will discuss strategies on how to interpret results from Earth observation platforms and global ocean models and how to use this information at the local level. The workshop will also highlight the value of a regular monitoring and reporting system in the implementation of sustainable coastal and marine management programs.

 

The workshop is co-convened by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG), and the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI).

 

Workshop 3: Safeguarding Ocean-based Blue Economy through Innovative Solutions to Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction

 

Drastic changes in the Earth’s climate have resulted to an increasing number of natural disasters in the past decades. Moreover, a larger section of the world’s population is being affected by these natural disasters, especially those living near coastal and ocean areas.

 

The workshop will explore ways on preparing these communities from hazards posed by climate change. As such, the workshop will identify effective and sustainable ways to assess vulnerabilities, adapt to climate change, and reduce the risks and impact of natural disasters. The workshop will also find ways on how to integrate these methodologies and good practices into national and local policies for building resilient communities and in support of an ocean-based blue economy.

 

The workshop is co-convened by the Korea Marine Environment Management (KOEM).

 

Workshop 4: Subtheme 2 Plenary

 

The chairs, panelists, and participants of the previous workshops will share experiences, good practices, and lessons learned in using new technologies and strategies in support of an ocean-based blue economy.

 

Legislators, policymakers, NGOs, the academe, the private sector, and the UN and other international organizations are invited to participate in these workshops.

 

The EAS Congress 2012 is hosted by the Republic of Korea and co-organized by the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs (MLTM), the City Government of Changwon and PEMSEA. It is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

 

For more information on the EAS Congress, contact the Secretariat at congress@pemsea.org or visit http://eascongress.pemsea.org.