Blue Economy Bulletin October 2020

PUBLICATION DATE:

Friday, October 30, 2020

PUBLICATION TYPE:

Magazines and Newsletters

STATUS:

Only Available Online

DESCRIPTION:

Welcome to the PEMSEA October PEMSEA Blue Economy Bulletin. As we near the end of 2020, our SDS-SEA projects are coming to a close. This month, we share news of our work in Cambodia. Looking forward to new projects, PEMSEA announced our participation in the GloFouling Partnerships, which aims to tackle an important but often overlooked issue, especially in maritime shipping. We also share the progress of our Country Partners towards the IMO conventions, which cover other aspects of ensuring maritime shipping is more sustainable.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 appears to have been a successful year for the shipping industry. International cooperation in this industry is important to tackle issues such as the use of potentially toxic antifouling materials. The other large shipping industry, fishing, is also in need of increased sustainability. The MSC is offering grants towards sustainability initiatives, and some countries in Southeast Asia are working together to manage transboundary mackeral populations.

Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic could benefit by being linked to investment into climate-adaptive infrastructure. Such infrastructure will be of particular importance in coastal areas. Other coastal improvements include the planting of trees,  and the sustainable management of coastal resources.

If you are from an affected country near the Arafura and Timor seas, we welcome you to join the online ATSEA-2 Stakeholder Partnership Forum this 2-5 November. 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.