The East Asian Seas region recognizes the role of youth engagement to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the global ocean agenda. Themed “Moving as One with the Global Ocean Agenda: Active and Engaged Youth”, the Fifth EAS Youth Forum featured peer-to-peer learning discussions, team-building and creative sessions to empower the next generation of young champions for the oceans and coasts. The Youth Forum intended to enhance youth’s understanding on the environment’s current situation and appreciation of the role they can play in sustainable development and the global ocean agenda. The forum gathered 70 youth from EAS countries, namely Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam to learn and interact with a roster of high-profile speakers and leaders in ocean and coastal management.

Specifically, the YF5 aimed to:

1. Launch the PEMSEA Youth Programme and the PEMSEA Network of Young Leaders (PNYL);
2. Provide a conducive platform for mutual exchange of knowledge, experience and skills in sustainable ocean and coastal management;
3. Strengthen the youth’s capacity to develop and/or lead initiatives at the local, national, or regional level;
4. Sustain and expand the network of young people empowered to take actions in protecting the region’s oceans and coasts through the PNYL and its country hubs;
5. Produce a clear youth commitment to achieving sustainable ocean management through the youth declaration; and
6. Promote the youth’s crucial role in achieving the UN SDGs, particularly those contributing to the global ocean agenda.
    

This session focused on interdisciplinary research, which increases understanding of the economic, social, and ecological systems, and how it should, and can be used to support marine planning, management, and future sustainable development and blue economy.

The session aimed to:

• Present different approaches to undertaking blue economy-relevant interdisciplinary research;
• Describe innovative decision support tools that are being developed from this research; and
• Discuss examples of how and where these approaches and tools are, or could be used across the multiple and interacting blue economy sectors (e.g., renewable energy, fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, recreation and leisure) to promote sustainability of ecosystem services that underpin these sectors, and are impacted by them.
   

EAS Congress 2018 Daily Bulletin for 28 November 2018.

EAS Congress 2018 Daily Bulletin for 27 November 2018.

The PNLG Forum 2017 was hosted by the Local Government of Sanya City, Hainan, PR China, from December 5-6, 2017 at the Sanya Visun Royal Yacht Hotel. With the theme, “Conservation to Ecological Restoration of Coastal Areas for Blue Economy” the PNLG Forum gathered over 120 delegates from 31 local governments in 9 countries (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, RO Korea, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam), as well as representatives from the PNLG associate members (Coastal and Ocean Management Institute and First Institute of Oceanography of the State Oceanic Administration of China).

The Regional Planning Workshop on the Development of a State of Oceans and Coasts (SOC) Report for the Seas of East Asia was held on 31 March – 1 April 2016 at the PEMSEA Building in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Compound in Quezon City, Philippines. Representatives from 15 international organizations and regional programmes participated, and shared their views and perspectives on blue economy and the SOC report. They provided suggestions on key topics and indicators to be included in the SOC report, and pointed out the issues, challenges, solution options and examples of good practices. Available information and studies from their respective agencies and other sources of information were also discussed.

The RegionalAgreement was reached on the outline of the SOC report. The participants will share information and their expertise to provide technical guidance and contribute to the development of the regional SOC report. The next steps include: (a) the development of the template, with Philippines as the pilot country; (b) organizing national teams for the development of National SOC reports; (c) organizing a regional Technical Working Group; (d) presentation of draft SOC reports at the Blue Economy Conference in November 2017 to get feedback; and (e) presentation and dissemination of SOC reports at the next East Asian Seas Congress in 2018. 

Decision-makers and leading experts from ministries, industry, academe and international organizations came together for the first regional Blue Economy Forum, which was held on 14-15 November 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand. The East Asian Seas (EAS) region is a center of marine biodiversity as well as a center of economic growth, but there are complex pressures and threats affecting the state of ocean health and ocean economy. Co-organized by PEMSEA, the Thailand Research Fund, and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MONRE) Thailand, the two-day forum introduced 10 national and 4 sub-regional State of Oceans and Coasts reports, or SOCs, which focused on the vital role that oceans and marine ecosystems play in economic development, trade, welfare, resiliency, and food, water and energy security across the EAS region. The participants concluded that business as usual is no longer an option in the face of changing environment and climate. They underscored the need to prioritize critical challenges and recognize economic growth and healthy oceans as compatible propositions. Interesting actions, innovations, and partnerships taking place in the region demonstrate the huge potential for blue economy, and workable solutions towards achieving sustainable oceans and coasts for all.