IOI Joins PEMSEA at the East Asian Seas Congress

 

IOI joined PEMSEA (Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia) at the Changwon Exhibition Convention Center (CECO), Changwon City, RO Korea from 9-13th July 2012.

 

On July 9th PEMSEA welcomed about 1,000 participants from 25 countries and 23 regional and international organisations all over the world for the fourth East Asian Seas Congress. With the theme, "Building a Blue Economy: Strategy, Opportunities and Partnerships in the Seas of East Asia", the opening ceremony highlighted the progress and achievements in governance of regional/subregional seas within the framework of the SustainableDevelopment Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA), on-the-ground achievements in integrated coastal management (ICM) approach, and the remaining challenges and opportunities in building a blue economy in the East Asian Sea region. Dr Awni Behnam, President of IOI was a Plenary Keynoter on 10th July with his presentation entitled “Understanding the Blue Economy".

 

The excerpt below is taken from the conference daily bulletin issue No 2, 11 July 2012:

 

"If a man takes no thought about what is far off he will find troubles near at home"

 

Dwelling on the Rio+20, Dr Awni Behnam, President of the International Ocean Institute, reminisced a time, 20 years ago, when sustainable development was just an emerging concept and when the oceans were not on anyone's agenda. Today, sustainable development has become a buzzword and the oceans now form a major theme for the outputs of the Rio+20. Regrettably, however, the human impact on the ocean through use and exploitation has been destructive and unconscionable because humans have taken for granted the sustainability of the ocean. In so doing, and despite decades of efforts to evolve an adequate governance regime, the ocean's fragile ecosystem is being systematically destroyed. Development in the past years and support from various sectors have given the ocean a voice. Today, the imperative of building a blue economy is even greater as we face bigger challenges. Dr. Behnam identified three overarching and critical challenges, namely: climate change, Security, and Global Economic and Financial Crisis. The convergence of these three separate yet interconnected factors in time and space has created the proverbial Perfect Storm. To Dr Behnam, Blue Economy is "Living with the ocean and from the ocean and in a sustainable relationship." As we build a blue economy, Dr Behnam emphasized the need for quantifying the benefits and value of the ocean services, as well as providing mechanisms to further assist developing countries in building and promoting sustainable development. The Blue Economy Concept presented by Dr Awni Behnam was addressed and adopted at the Closing of the International Conference on 12th July 2012.

 

The East Asian Sea Congress 2012 was also attended by the following IOI members, and the IOI also presented a summary of its major activities as a series of posters during the accompanying exhibition:

 

Dr. Awni Behnam, IOI President; Co-Chair of a special workshop entitled "Expert Consultation Workshop on Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning Approach: International Experiences"
Dr. Werner Ekau, Chair of Directors, IOI Regional Representative for Europe and Director of IOI Germany who was a Co-Chair of Sub- Theme 5: Meeting Institutional and Individual Skills and Capacities for Integrated Coastal and Ocean Governance: Workshop 1: Transforming Human Resources into Resourceful Humans. He was a Chair of Session 2: The Strategic Management of Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Networking where he introduced on challenges and opportunities for strengthening regional collaboration in building capacities for coastal and ocean governance. He also gave a presentation entitled Progress in marine spatial planning and integrated coastal zone management in Europe" in Session 1: Lesson Learned from international experience with marine spatial planning of the Expert Consultation Workshop on Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning Approach: International Experiences;
Dr. Victoria Radchenko, IOI Regional Representative for Eurasia and Director of IOI-Ukraine gave a presentation entitled Marine Spatial Management-challenges and opportunities in Ukraine of the Expert Consultation Workshop on Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning Approach: International Experiences;
Ms. Masako Bannai Otsuka, IOI Regional Representative for Asia & Oceania facilitated the Session 2: Consolidation of ICM: Application of ICM concept for new Satoumi in Shima City by Mr Hidekazu Ohguchi, Mayor of Shima City in the Workshop 3 on Consolidation and Replication of ICM Lessons and Good Practices under Subtheme 3: Securing Ecosystem Services through Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management;
Dr. Cherdsak Virapat, IOI Executive Director gave a presentation entitled Adaptive Learning in Tsunami Preparedness and Response Planning in Six Andaman Coastal Provinces in Thailand of the Expert Consultation Workshop on Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning Approach: International Experiences; and a presentation entitled IOI's Strategy and Approaches to enhance capacities in coastal and ocean governance under the Sub-Theme 5: Meeting Institutional and Individual Skills and Capacities for Integrated Coastal and Ocean Governance: Workshop 1: Transforming Human Resources into Resourceful Humans.
Dr Jiyeon Choi, IOI Focal Point for the Republic of Korea
Mr. Wichayoot Boonkosol, IOI-Thailand Coordinator helped facilitating the IOI exhibition on coastal community development at the Exhibition Hall;

 

Dr. Awni Behnam, Dr Victoria Radchenko, Dr Cherdsak Virapat and Wichayoot Boonkosol visited the UN Pavilion and the Qatar Pavilion at the World Expo 2012 in Yeosu, RO Korea on 13th July.