As a follow-on workshop on the Discussion Group Meeting on Capacity Development on Coastal and Ocean Governance held in 2006 and the Xiamen meeting, this meeting/workshop focused on the recent initiatives undertaken related to capacity development in the region. The discussions included:

Efforts to maximize regional intellectual capital towards coastal and ocean development;
Short-term training initiatives and the development of curriculum towards ocean and coastal governance;
Contribution of regional and international initiatives in promoting capacity development;
and Human resource requirements of the region and available services.

The workshop attempted to answer the following questions and concerns:

Have we met the demands of training and education in coastal and ocean governance in East Asia?
Are the current initiatives sufficient enough to address capacity needs?
What are the current opportunities for short-term training and degree-granting education?
A "matching exercise" of articulated training needs of the countries in the region vis-à-vis available supply provider
Way forward: Packaging trainings so that donors can readily come in.

The workshop was able to draw in a wider set of participants representing a bigger set of perspectives in providing capacity building in ocean and coastal governance. The participants came from United Nations agencies, international development initiatives, research institutions, international NGOs, donor (ASEAN) as well as representatives from local and national governments, the academe and learning centers in the ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam) participating in PEMSEA activities particularly from PEMSEA's Learning Centers and those recommended by national governments who responded to the PEMSEA-initiated "Survey of the Demand and Supply of Human Resources for Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) for the East Asian Seas Region." A total of 42 participated in the Workshop (eight were supported by the ASEAN Foundation while others were supported by other donors).

This publication summarizes the results of one of the workshops held during the East Asian Seas Congress 2009 on the Development and Advances on Marine Biosafety in the Context of the Convention on Biodiversity. The workshop on Development and Advances on Marine Biosafety in the Context of the Convention on Biodiversity reviewed current global and national actions to address the challenges associated with marine biosafety. Specifically, the workshop highlighted the adverse environmental impacts on marine biodiversity, public health and certain marine economic sectors, among others, as well as the potential transboundary and long-term impacts. International efforts to address the translocation of invasive species as well as to mitigate the environmental impacts through the promulgation of environmental instruments, adoption and application of standards, research, technology and the promotion of public awareness and capacity building were discussed.

This publication summarizes the results of one of the workshops held during the East Asian Seas Congress 2009 on Coastal/Ocean Policy and Legislation: Implementation and New Initiatives. This workshop highlights the importance of coasts and oceans and discusses the various initiatives and efforts at central and local level in developing and implementing ocean and coastal policies and legislation. The three sessions provided lessons from the practical implementation related to coastal and ocean governance.

This publication summarizes the results of one of the workshops held during the East Asian Seas Congress 2009 on Local Action, Global Contribution: Best Practices in Community-based Approaches to Sustainable Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Management. Best practices in community-based approaches to sustainable coastal and marine ecosystems management are emerging. Case studies from East Asia are highlighted in this report showcasing how the local communities in the region have been a rich source of creative and productive experiences in managing coastal and marine ecosystems. The case models have been chosen from a number of projects implemented by community-based organizations, people's organizations and other community constituents within the SGP Country Programmes in the East Asian Seas region. While these initiatives were directed to contribute to global environmental benefits, they help, more importantly, in uplifting the communities' economic and social wellbeing.

The special session on disaster management tackled two main topics, the Science and Technology for Marine Disaster Prevention and Management and Good Governance on Disaster Management.

The special session was chaired by Dr. Shigeko Haruyama from the International Geographical Union (IGU) and Dr. Cherdsak Virapat, Executive Director of the International Ocean Institute (IOI).

The specific objectives of the special session were to:

Take stock of available resources that can be optimized to create a more effective disaster management framework with due consideration to the unique settings of each locality/country.
Assess the effectiveness and determine the value of applying science and technology as a tool for disaster management.
Share information on the new ways of collaborating among various sectors of the society.

This publication summarizes the results of one of the workshops held during the East Asian Seas Congress 2009 on Greener Ports in the ASEAN Region. The seminar on Greener Ports examined various efforts and examples of green policies, regulatory enforcements, researches, proactive approaches including the drivers for investments in environmental initiatives. Examples and experiences within and outside the ASEAN region were reviewed with the end in view of identifying good practices and lessons learned to promote port sustainability and environmental stewardship in the region.

This publication summarizes the results of one of the workshops held during the East Asian Seas Congress 2009 on Addressing Transboundary Issues through Regional/Subregional Seas Cooperation: Initiatives in East Asia. In the East Asia Seas (EAS) region, a number of regional and subregional transboundary projects on marine and coastal environmental management have been progressing or initiated recently, each with a goal of developing a subregional Strategic Action Plan (SAP), led by concerned countries, donor agencies, UN organizations, international NGOs, etc. In reviewing these initiatives and projects, the EAS Partnership Council of PEMSEA noted the need for collaboration between these initiatives and projects/programs for creating synergies and sharing knowledge in order to reduce possible duplication of effort, inefficient use of resources, and limited sharing of knowledge, experience, skills and tools. The need for an effective coordination mechanism for the region among the various projects/programmes and implementing agencies/organizations has also noted by the Council. With this realization, a workshop was convened during the EAS Congress 2009 to discuss on various transboundary environmental issues and their implementing mechanisms, good practices and areas of collaboration among the programmes and stakeholders involved. In the workshop, a number of regional, subregional and international organizations including UNDP and UNEP and initiatives including South China Sea, Yellow Sea, COBSEA, NOWPAP, PEMSEA, Conservation International Philippines, Sulu-Sulawesi Seas, Arafura-Timor Seas, Coral Triangle Initiative and Mangroves for the Future presented their works, discussed barriers and opportunities, and identified ways to move forward.

This publication summarizes the results of one of the workshops held during the East Asian Seas Congress 2009 on the Impacts of Climate Change at the Coastal and Ocean Areas of the East Asian Seas Region. Climate changes are not new—cycles of tremendous climate changes have happened throughout Earth’s history; but in those times, the contributions from humans were nil or very insignificant. A grave concern is very apparent today; IPCC, in its 2007 report declared, beyond doubt, a warming of the global climate system and linking it to human activities. Humankind’s excesses have thus become manifold: pollution, overextractions, introductions, habitat destruction, and now climate change have tremendously altered ecosystems and the climate and are contributing to Earth’s destruction. It is against this backdrop that the Workshop on Impacts of Climate Change at the Coastal and Ocean Areas of the East Asian Seas Region was convened during the EAS Congress in Manila, Philippines in November 2009. This workshop was aimed at articulating climate change adaptation and resilience strategies within the context of sustainable development in coastal and marine environment. In particular, the workshop objectives are: To understand the types, level and severity of the adverse social and economic impacts of climate change; and To outline actions, initiatives or response measures within and outside the East Asian Seas region related to climate change adaptation and resilience strategies. The workshop was co-convened by the World Maritime University (WMU), the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs of RO Korea (MLTM) and the Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia (SENSA). The impacts to the East Asian Seas region were discussed as they relate to sustainable development in Monsoon Asia, fisheries production, and shipping (with the opening of Northeast Passage and Arctic meltdown). The active discussion and sharing of experiences between natural and social scientists and policymakers made reaching a common understanding of global change issues as they affect vulnerability and adaptation in coastal regional settings. The workshop also became a venue which bridged the practitioners of global change with those of a local rural development focus. Also amply articulated were different perspectives coming from disaster risk, conservation and coastal management practitioners.

This publication outlines the results of the International Conference on Sustainable Coastal and Ocean Development, held from November 23 to 26, 2009 in Manila, Philippines.