Blue Economy Bulletin June 2018
PUBLICATION DATE:
Friday, June 29, 2018
PUBLICATION TYPE:
Magazines and Newsletters
STATUS:
Available (Newsletter)
DESCRIPTION:
June saw a number of international environmental days that highlighted the need for developing a sustainable blue economy. On World Environment Day, PEMSEA published a timeline highlighting our progress towards building a blue economy for the East Asian Seas. On World Oceans Day, we looked at the issue of plastic waste, outlining some simple steps everyone can take, and highlighting examples of plastic initiatives PEMSEA has supported. We are proud to share a story about the impact of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) projects in the Tangerang Regency of Indonesia, and to have participated in the 6th GEF Assembly which finished today.
The global plastic problem is growing more acute, while the effects of China’s plastic waste import ban are only beginning to be felt. One way to deal with plastic waste is to close the “plastic loop”, reducing the waste that flows into the ocean and impacts coastal communities. Such waste management initiatives require the expansion of blue finance initiatives to maximize their impact and reach. Finance in the form of public private partnerships have proved useful in ensuring MPA management. With green bonds becoming more closely linked with the SDGs, WWF has set up the Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative to promote environmentally sustainable finance throughout Asia.
GEF projects focused on achieving tuna fishery sustainability in the high seas are coming to an end as a new study reveals over half of high seas fishing relies on subsidies. Sustainability for wild fisheries will benefit from 20 years of research providing a mathematical model for calculating maximum sustainable yield, as well as from evidence in the Gulf of Thailand of the effectiveness of fisheries refugia. Aquaculture is also set to be improved by integrated multi-trophic techniques being applied in the Yellow Sea. Other facets of the blue economy are also being explored by the GEF, whose Blue Forests project is providing a global assessment of the value of blue forest ecosystem services. The value of such “forests” are already visible in places like Qingdao, China, where seaweed aquaculture is an important economic activity.
The importance of ICM is highlighted by new research showing that a loss of coral reefs will result in increased flood damage to coastal areas. Such environmental risks have prompted Indonesia to declare that its next five-year development plan will be low-carbon and take into account environmental carrying capacity, while the global shipping industry is considering numerous ways it could reduce its own carbon emissions.
Follow the latest updates on blue economy and coastal sustainable development in East Asia on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA). 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.
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PEMSEA eBulletin - September 2026
September connected regional decisions with local action—from a new declaration in Busan to community-led work across the region.
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The Fourth Regional Steering Committee (RSC) Meeting of the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Project on Reducing Pollution and Preserving Environmental Flows in the East Asian Seas through the Implementation of Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) in ASEAN countries was held on 08 July 2026 in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in conjunction with the 26th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management (AWGWRM). Co-chaired by Mr. Oudomsack Philavong, AWGWRM Chairperson, and Mr. Gerd Trogemann of UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, the meeting brought together 55 participants from ASEAN Member States (AMS), the ASEAN Secretariat, UNDP, PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF), and the East Asian Seas Executive
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Onsite participants of the meeting included the EAS PC Chair and Co-Chair; the Technical Session Chair and Co-Chair; the Intergovernmental Session Chair and Co-Chair; the Executive Director of the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF); Country Partners (CPs) from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, Republic of Korea (RoKorea), Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam; Non-Country Partners (NCPs) from the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), Korea Institute for Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM), National Marine Hazard Mitigation Service (NMHMS), Ocean Policy Research Institute – Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF), Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), and the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG). Observers include the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC). The meeting also welcomed its first-ever youth delegate, Dr. Kenny Pang of the Singapore Institute of Technology.
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In the Philippines, multi-sectoral stakeholders in Bicol and Cagayan Valley provided inputs for the local implementation of the PRICELESS Project and the management of the Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve (PRMRR). At the 4th ASEAN Blue Economy Forum, PEMSEA called for concrete investments to address the triple planetary crisis while protecting marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods.
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Meanwhile, the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN IRBM Project brought together representatives from six ASEAN Member States for a regional workshop on environmental monitoring and reporting in support of IRBM program development and implementation. Participants also visited sites in the Ciliwung River Basin to examine practical applications of environmental monitoring, including industrial wastewater treatment and the Online Realtime Waste Water Quality Monitoring System (SPARING).
PEMSEA eBulletin - July 2026
Across the region, PEMSEA partners came together to reflect on progress, strengthen partnerships, and chart the path forward for a resilient East Asian Seas region. At the center of these conversations was the 18th East Asian Seas Partnership Council Meeting in Singapore, where PEMSEA Country and Non-Country Partners reviewed key achievements, agreed on strategic priorities, and reaffirmed a shared vision for healthy coasts, resilient communities, and sustainable blue economies. The field visit to Singapore’s Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve offered participants an opportunity to see firsthand how conservation efforts and nature-based solutions contribute to resilient coastal ecosystems.
Collaboration extended well beyond the EAS Partnership Council Meeting. This month saw the approval of revised pilot projects in three Philippine sites and continued preparations for implementation in Timor-Leste under the MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics ODA Project, bringing local governments one step closer to turning plans into action. The GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project also marked several milestones, convening regional dialogues on river basin governance, holding its 4th Regional Steering Committee Meeting, and advancing pilot project development through field missions and local engagement.
Taken together, these stories reflect a busy July and show how regional cooperation is translated into practical solutions—through partnerships, informed decision-making, and sustained action on the ground.