Blue Economy Bulletin April 2018
PUBLICATION DATE:
Monday, April 30, 2018
PUBLICATION TYPE:
Magazines and Newsletters
STATUS:
Available (Newsletter)
DESCRIPTION:
Progress towards a sustainable blue economy is becoming a more important issue, not only for specialists and policy-makers, but also for civil society, as blue economy issues continue to increase within the public awareness. PEMSEA and its partners, who this year celebrate 25 years of progress in working towards a shared vision of healthy oceans, people and economies, welcome you to the second Blue Economy Bulletin of 2018!
PEMSEA’s triennial East Asian Seas Congress, to be held in Iloilo City, Philippines, from November 27-30, is drawing closer. With the theme “25 Years of Partnerships for Healthy Oceans, People and Economies: Moving as One with the Global Ocean Agenda”, the EAS Congress 2018 is expected to engage over 1,000 participants from national and local government, academia, business, international organizations and NGOs. It will feature an International Conference and Environmental Exhibition, the Fifth EAS Youth Forum (YF5), PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Forum 2018, and will culminate with the Sixth Ministerial Forum. The call for applications to the Fifth EAS Youth Forum (YF5) has been released, and PEMSEA asks any youth from the region aged 18-25 who are working or interested in the sustainable development of coasts and oceans to consider applying.
Real change happens on the ground, so we were pleased that PEMSEA’s work in Bataan, Philippines, was featured in a video celebrating protection of our oceans for Earth Day 2018. PEMSEA also welcomed recent developments in the Philippine’s Romblon province, where Local Government Units (LGUs) have incorporated integrated coastal management thinking into their development plans.
In global news, IMO member states agreed to a 50% reduction from 2008 levels in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The World Ocean Summit 2018 saw the release of 14 Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, while over 100 global corporations had emissions reductions plans approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. The U.S. called for marine mammal bycatch mitigation plans from fisheries by 2022 as a requirement for these fisheries to access U.S. markets. Scientists discovered an enzyme that can digest polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a key component of modern plastics, which could prove to be a crucial new tool to address ocean plastic pollution.
A consultative committee in the Philippines intends to strengthen environmental rights in a new constitution, and the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) held its first hearing against major corporate carbon emitters. Due to overcapacity, the Philippines and Thailand have both closed popular tourist destinations for a number of months. Indonesia plans to launch an excise on plastics in May and has deployed its military to clean up the Citarum river, while China’s Environment Ministry has announced that it intends to tackle plastic pollution in the Yangtze river.
Follow the us on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA) for the latest updates. We welcome your feedback, and please let us know if there are other blue economy topics you would like to see in future newsletters and programs.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
PEMSEA eBulletin - September 2025
Dear PEMSEA community,
Sail through fresh news and stories this September!
In Jakarta, check out the PNLG Forum 2025, where more than 200 participants from nine countries gathered to showcase innovation and collaboration for coastal action, and read about Guimaras Governor Ma. Lucille Ledesma-Nava taking her oath as PNLG President for 2025–2028.
In Manila, know more about the GEF Regional Project Oversight Training which convened Operational Focal Points from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, in collaboration with PEMSEA and the Philippines’ DENR.
In Busan, look back at the 20th anniversary of the Total Pollutant Loading Management System (TPLMS), joined by representatives from MOF, KMI, academic institutions, civil society groups, and discussions from Ms. Nancy Bermas, Regional Project Manager, GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project.
In China, read about PEMSEA Resource Facility Executive Director Aimee Gonzales’ presentation on integrated coastal management at the ICM and Maritime Economy Session, and her participation in the 11th Management Committee meeting of the China–PEMSEA Coastal Management Cooperation Center with officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
In the Philippines, know more about the MOF/PEMSEA ODA Project on Reducing Marine Plastics in the East Asian Seas Region Regional Steering Committee’s approval of pilot projects to reduce marine plastics in its six sites, and the 7,000 volunteers mobilized for the International Coastal Cleanup.
Taking the global stage, learn how Orange Omengan, Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist of the IRBM Project, connects science with community realities through compelling visual storytelling with the IRBM Project at the GEF IW:LEARN webinar.
To wrap up the month, explore opportunities to join PEMSEA by visiting the careers section.
PEMSEA eBulletin - August 2025
Dear PEMSEA community,
Catch the wave of news and stories this August!
Explore how PEMSEA is working with LGUS and local stakeholders across the region to advance sustainable coastal and ocean governance. Read about the recent visit to Dipolog City, where PEMSEA Executive Director Aimee Gonzales and Communications Officer Klyra Orbien met with local officials to review progress and discuss the next steps under the MOF/PEMSEA ODA Project on Reducing Marine Plastics in the East Asian Seas.
Learn about how cities are implementing nature-based solutions through the Southeast Asia Conference on Nature-based Solutions in Singapore, where Ms. Gonzales introduced the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) as a vital platform for building resilience in coastal cities.
Discover insights from PEMSEA’s presentation at the FASPS D.R.I.P. Series: Discussions on Results and Innovations of Projects brown bag session, where the team introduced PEMSEA and shared project progress, initiatives, and latest updates.
From Malaysia, see how the Regional Project Management Unit of the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project advanced work in the Kedah River Basin through high-level discussions, a Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus workshop, and a field visit.
Finally, check out PEMSEA’s latest consultancy opportunity on Business Development and Resource Mobilization!
Proceedings of the Seventeenth East Asian Seas Partnership Council Meeting
The 17th East Asian Seas (EAS) Partnership Council (PC) Meeting was held on 22-23 July 2025 at Seda Vertis North, Quezon City in the Philippines (UTC+8).
Onsite participants of the meeting included the EAS PC Chair and Co-Chair; the Intergovernmental Session Chair and Co-Chair; the Technical Session Chair and Co-Chair; the Executive Director of the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF); Country partners from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, RO Korea, Timor Leste, and Vietnam; Non-Country Partners from the Conservation International Philippines (CI PH), Ipieca GISEA, Korea Institute for Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM), and the National Marine Hazard Mitigation Service (NMHMS).
Online participants included country partners from Singapore and RO Korea; Non-Country Partners from the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), International Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas Center (EMECS), Korea Maritime Institute, Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML). The meeting was also attended by online observers from UNDP Philippines, Tokai University, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Regional Baseline Assessment on Marine Plastics in the East Asian Seas Region (Philippines and Timor-Leste)
As part of Component 1 of the MOF/PEMSEA ODA project on the Reducing Marine Plastics in East Asian Seas Region, a Plastic Analysis and Characterization Study (PACS) was conducted to provide essential data to guide project decisions and establish 10-year marine plastic management strategies and action plans, which will be developed, adopted, and implemented by local governments and stakeholders. This regional baseline assessment on marine plastics includes the conduct of PACS and Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Survey, specifically focusing on key coastal areas in the six cities and municipalities in the Philippines: Bulan, Calbayog, Daanbantayan, Dipolog, Puerto Princesa, and Tandag; and four municipalities in Timor-Leste: Atauro, Dili, Liquiçá, and Manatuto. These components are designed to understand the specific dynamics of plastic waste generation and local community behaviors towards waste management.
The regional synthesis identified persistent challenges across the plastic waste value chain, including high plastic waste generation, weak segregation, limited collection coverage, low recovery performance, inadequate disposal systems, and continued plastic leakage. Addressing these issues requires targeted interventions across all stages of the solid waste management system. Key recommendations focus on reducing single-use plastics through local policy and behavior change, improving segregation by providing bins and strengthening implementation, and expanding collection through additional vehicles and better route planning. Recovery must be enhanced by upgrading facilities and linking communities to recycling markets, while safe disposal options should be developed or improved to reduce open dumping and burning.
Baseline Assessment Report on Marine Plastics in the Six ODA Project Sites in the Philippines
This Baseline Assessment Report of MOF/PEMSEA ODA project on the Reducing Marine Plastics in East Asian Seas Region includes both the Plastic Analysis and Characterization Study (PACS) and a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Survey, specifically targeting key coastal areas in six Philippine sites: the municipalities of Bulan and Daanbantayan, and the cities of Calbayog, Dipolog, Puerto Princesa, and Tandag. These assessments aim to uncover the specific dynamics of plastic waste generation and local community behaviors toward waste management, supporting the development of data-driven interventions to address marine plastic pollution effectively.
The findings of the synthesized national baseline assessment provide valuable insights that can assist local government units, national government agencies, and relevant stakeholders in developing targeted policies and interventions. These strategies are aimed at improving solid waste management practices and reducing marine plastic pollution in coastal cities and municipalities.