EAS Congress 2018 Daily Bulletin for the 29th day of November.

Higher education institutions play a vital role towards the sustainable development of the coasts and seas through its core activities in education, research, governance and external leadership. Building on-the-ground capacity in implementing and scaling up integrated coastal management (ICM) programmes involve training and maintaining a critical mass of ICM leaders and practitioners in the East Asian region who can contribute to effective and efficient implementation of SDG 14 and other related ocean and coastal goals. In line with this, PEMSEA’s capacity development strategies include mobilizing universities and research institutes in increasing technical support available on the ground, providing scientific inputs from experts’ advice in focus issues in various phases of ICM cycle and buildingcapacity and skills to replicate and scale up the ICM practice in the region. This forum provided a platform for university leaders to share, discuss and commit to strengthening collaboration among ICM Learning Centers (ICM LCs) through joint initiatives under the wider umbrella of the PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC), with an outcome that leads to education, research and outreach through various innovative activities.

It is often said that Southeast Asia has one of the weakest regional mechanism for the protection of the marine environment. One reason cited is the lack of a binding agreement for the protection of the marine environment in the region and the so-called ASEAN way preferred by the littoral States.

This session aimed to investigate and discuss the extent to which regional institutions can and may foster a common understanding of applicable international law and facilitate implementation.

Coastal fisheries are a forgotten sector, often perceived as small, lacking data and undervalued; yet, critical to food security, livelihood of millions, national economies, and an integral part to marine biodiversity in the East Asia.

To address this wicked problem, speakers from various stakeholders in the coastal fisheries reform from Indonesia and the Philippines highlighted the importance of an integrated and holistic approach. Speakers shared solutions and innovations addressing issues on lack of data, securing preference for small-scale fishers, financing and at provincial or regional scales, and replicating, sustaining and scaling community-focused management interventions.

Challenges confronting the oceans and coastal ecosystems are compounding in time. Modest gains in addressing anthropogenic threats through protection measures and informed policies are negated by the vagaries of climate and emerging and worrisome patterns of utilization such as reclamation and land development. By reflecting the value of ecosystems into monetary units, stakeholders are propelled to make better decisions on resource allocation between competing uses, improving incentives and generating expenditures. While the context focuses on coral reef management, it is critical to see how it contributes to the broader coastal management perspective.

Why talk about financing? Significant funding is required to address threats posed by illegal fishing, reclamation, pollution, harvesting of corals and associated species, unbridled land development, etc. Third, due to the severe rate of destruction, coral restoration procedures will cost more, in fact, more than what it would cost to prevent the destruction. Relevant discussions on financing are not focused solely on raising revenues or ensuring more funding. Cost avoidance and delivering better are also finance solutions benefitting coral reef management. Likewise, realignment of expenditures from harmful actions to positive actions are also highlighted as finance solutions.

The mini symposium organized by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) is intended to inform participants of the methodology, which includes three assessments that culminate in a Biodiversity Finance Plan. The steps include:

1. The Biodiversity Finance Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) looks into the policy and institutional context for biodiversity finance in the country and establishes which are the key stakeholders to involve.
    
2. The Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER) is an analysis of public and private expenditures in the country that benefit biodiversity. The assessment establishes past, present and projected expenditures on biodiversity.
    
3. The Financial Needs Assessment (FNA) estimates the finance required to deliver national biodiversity targets and plans, usually described in the NBSAPs.
    
4. The Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP) identify and prioritizes a mix of suitable biodiversity finance solutions to reduce the biodiversity finance gap.
    

Blue Carbon is gaining currency in recent years as one of the solutions for mitigating climate change. The carbon storing potential of blue carbon should be assessed in a scientifically sound way in order to receive the recognition from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. In order to achieve the goal, a network of researchers should be formed to collate concerted efforts in demonstrating the potential. The research efforts of blue carbon will significantly enhance the awareness and conservation efforts of global community on key marine ecosystems such as tidal marshes, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests.

Blue carbon can play a significant role in the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the UNFCCC process. Therefore, national policy and research efforts should be enhanced in advancing the blue carbon concepts in EAS region.

The session highlighted the initiatives of the SMARTSeas PH Project in crafting the national marine protected area (MPA) network policy framework, and the development of monitoring, evaluation, reporting and feedback (MERF) framework for MPA network (MPAN).

The discussion focused on improving the coordinating mechanisms and complementary activities of various institutions working on marine biodiversity conservation in its pilot sites. It also highlighted the importance of shared governance and collaborative management by different stakeholders in conserving biodiversity through establishing MPA network and coming up with decision support tools, which are scientifically grounded.

During the session, the Competence Assessment Tool was also launched. The tool is part of the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for MPA network to measure effectiveness of the networks in addressing threats, improving conditions of reef and fish communities, and monitoring gains and benefits to people.

Overall, the session was held to provide a venue for management organizations, scientific community, and the general public to share initiatives, innovative research, and ideas to progress current initiatives to a holistic and interoperable system.

Strong collaboration between government and business will be critical for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 14 Life below water. Along with safeguarding the health of coastal ecosystems and communities, achieving the SDGs may open pathways for new opportunities for companies while supporting the health of coastal ecosystems and communities. The potential of effective public-private partnership for coastal and ocean management has been discussed for some time, but the reality of forging concrete, value-added partnerships has, in many cases, remained elusive. Companies can struggle to move beyond mere compliance or approaches that are disconnected from their core business, while public institutions and local governments may wonder how to best engage with the private sector in ways that achieve sustainable development goals while adding value that incentivizes companies to partner.

Organizations like PEMSEA, World Ocean Council, Philippine Business for Environment and IUCN can play a bridging role, supporting the achievement of sustainable development objectives while helping companies to address their challenges related to coasts and oceans.

This session examined the role of business and its needs and expectations for collaborative coastal and ocean management, along with the role of development partners in helping companies to identify and develop practical opportunities supporting the SDGs, blue economy development and local communities. Building on insights from research for a Sustainable Business Roadmap for oceans for the region, participants explored approaches to private sector partnership for blue economy development.

The Ocean Conservancy reports that five of the eight largest contributors of plastic waste to the oceans are countries in the East Asian region. In light of this concern, varied efforts and innovations are emerging that can help address the problem at various levels.

In particular, with the local coastal communities contributing to and experiencing the immediate adverse impacts of plastic waste, this session will look into potential options/approaches, new initiatives and innovative solutions that can help enhance local actions in combating the rising problem of plastic pollution and moving towards circular economy.