This month, we scored several  milestones for the Partnerships in East Asian Seas as countries adopted the regional strategy on biofouling management. The Arafura and Timor Seas Action Programme (ATSEA) showcased several of its technical reports when it  co-hosted  the 4th International Conference on Integrated Coastal Management and Marine Biotechnology; PEMSEA Executive Director led the second series of ICM lecture in the same event, while the Marine Plastics Project convened local partners  from the Philippines and Timor-Leste for the regional marine litter training.

More positive news in the region as more East Asian Seas countries are addressing transboundary challenges such as plastic pollution. At the global level, the High Seas Treaty was finally signed by 81 nations, and the world is now watching the #RaceForRatification. 

This month’s bulletin highlights #PEMSEAat30 lecture series led by PEMSEA Chair Emeritus Dr. Chua Thia-Eng, the training on Plastic Analysis and Characterization Study done with LGU partners of the Marine Plastics Project, and the virtual participation of PEMSEA in the recently concluded World Water Week 2023 by highlighting its partnership with UNDP, Global Environment Facility, and ASEAN in implementing the Integrated River Basin Management Project in Southeast Asia.

PEMSEA is also in the news! Checkout our media release on the support of the Republic of Korea to tackle marine plastic pollution in the Philippines and Timor-Leste. And under news roundup, collaboration to halt biodiversity loss and positive discoveries continue to inspire action across the region and globally. 

This month’s highlights focus on the 15th East Asian Seas (EAS) Partnership Council Meeting and the key decisions approved by the partners. The 30th Anniversary Commemoration of PEMSEA was also launched with the line-up of year-long activities leading to the 2024 East Asian Seas Congress. Our regional projects are also on the roll, with the conduct of participatory planning and consultations to agree on strategies and activities for implementation.

In the our news roundup, stories on actions and solutions to promote circular economy and fight climate change, illegal fishing, and biodiversity loss, abound to inspire and motivate ocean policymakers and frontliners in the region and elsewhere to continue making a difference. 

This month’s bulletin highlights the kick-off of planning and assessment works of two PEMSEA projects — the Integrated River Basin Management Project and the  Reducing Marine Plastics in East Asian Seas Region Project. We are also sharing the key highlights of the Regional Forum on Blue Carbon that we organized this month. This issue also features the published works of our Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystems Action Programme - 2 including the study on climate change impacts in ATS Region and an opinion article to commemorate the World Ocean Day.

A cool PEMSEA greetings to our dear readers!

From this edition onwards, we will combine the Blue Economy Bulletin and PEMSEA’s e-bulletin, highlighting both the latest in our work and the most relevant news and trends in sustainable management of our seas and ocean.

For this issue, let us take you back to PEMSEA’s milestones in 2022 through our Annual Report, and showcase the on-going efforts in reducing solid waste and marine plastics in the East Asian Seas Region.

We also share the latest news from the region on decarbonization in maritime transport, public-private partnership towards blue economy, maritime south-south cooperation, and the latest on the UN #PlasticTreaty.

We hope you like the new look and feel of PEMSEA bulletin. We appreciate your  feedback and suggestions on how we can improve our news outreach to you. Share this bulletin with your friends and follow us on our social media channels.

Thank you.

Welcome to the April 2023 Blue Economy Bulletin. This edition highlights significant progress towards sustainable ocean management in the East Asian seas. This year, PEMSEA celebrates its 30th anniversary, and looks back on its evolution since 1993. Progress continues today and we welcome the adoption by Timor-Leste of a National Oceans Policy, a significant policy that along with ICM programming and national state of ocean and coasts report, provide a solid foundation for future investments in the country.

The IRBM project has released its Inception Report, outlining the expected strategy to improve river basin management in ASEAN. The Ecological Solid Waste Management Project funded by Coca-Cola Foundation, Inc. shares the successes of Barangays San Jose and Bernardo Pulido in managing solid waste, especially plastic. The ATSEA-2 project has released its first newsletter of this year, which covers significant work towards securing sustainable fisheries, marine protected areas, and coastal management in the Arafura and Timor Seas.

In other news, the importance of fishing to the region is highlighted as climate change shifts Japanese fish stocks, China seeks to develop its aquaculture industry, and the demand for sustainable fish feed grows. Fishing subsidies are causing dispute at the WTO. Another ocean industry, deep-sea mining, has caused similar international disagreement.

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.

Welcome to the March 2023 PEMSEA e-update. This month saw a devastating oil spill in the Philippines, with work to contain it ongoing. Given that more than 80% of the provinces of the Philippines are coastal, PEMSEA recommends the incorporation of oil spill contingency plans into future disaster risk reduction and climate resilience plans of local governments to prevent and manage future spills. To help combat climate change, PEMSEA is joining the global effort to improve the use and understanding of blue carbon resources. We also celebrate long-standing partnerships with the Province of Cavite and Cavite State University to promote sustainable coastal development. In between newsletters, follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA) for the latest updates.

Welcome to the February 2023 Blue Economy bulletin. With the ocean policy community coming together for the Our Ocean Conference in Panama on 2-3 March 2023, PEMSEA is pleased to present exciting and new projects that will facilitate the implementation of UN SDGs in the EAS region. The Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) project has been officially launched, beginning a multi-country co-operative project to improve sustainability in Southeast Asia's rivers. This project will build off previous work, including the Ecological Solid Waste Management project in Cavite, which is coming to a successful conclusion.

Globally, the impact of climate change on the economy is increasing. Rising temperatures are affecting those engaged in aquaculture and wild fisheries in Indonesia. The UN expects further coastal population displacement. Work to address climate change is thus crucial, and is ongoing. A trilateral meeting of East Asian countries saw discussion on how to reach net zero. Research is ongoing into managing aquaculture emissions, and combining renewable energy with carbon sequestration.

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.

Welcome to the January 2023 PEMSEA e-update. The PEMSEA Resource Facility would like to with everyone a happy new year and a productive 2023, as we progress through the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. In between newsletters, follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@PEMSEA) for the latest updates.